It’s the most anticipated game of the DFB-Pokal second round – RB Leipzig against FC Bayern München. Tonight’s match will be Lukas Klostermann’s first duel against the record champions, as he missed out last season with an injury. Today, the right-back has become an integral member of Leipzig’s squad. In an interview with DFB.de, the 21-year old speaks about the cup match, his prospects with the U21s and his studies outside football.
DFB.de: Mr Klostermann, what was your first reaction when Leipzig drew Bayern?
Lukas Klostermann: It’s crazy to be playing the best team in only the second round, but we’re looking forward to the game. We’ve made it difficult for Bayern in past games – we know we can beat them if we put in a top performance.
DFB.de: Your last match against FCB ended 5-4 though you were leading 4-2 until the 84th minute. Even though you missed the game with injury, what can your team learn from that?
Klostermann: It shows that you have to keep on fighting till the last minute when you play a top team. If you let off, you will be punished.
DFB.de: What does the game mean to you personally?
Klostermann: I was a Borussia Dortmund fan when I was younger and so Bayern were always big rivals.
DFB.de: You’re playing Bayern twice inside 70 hours this week. Which game is more important?
Klostermann: The difference is that the league match is ‘only’ one of 34, whereas if you lose the cup match, you’re knocked out. We want to win both, so it doesn’t make much sense to differentiate between them.
DFB.de: Right, but are your chances of getting a title higher in the cup or in the league?
Klostermann: I’ve not thought about that. We are playing our second season in the Bundesliga and it’s still early days this year. It would be presumptuous to talk about winning the title.
DFB.de: Leipzig CEO Oliver Mintzlaff said that tenth position would be okay. How do you see it as a player?
Klostermann: As a player, I focus on the next game. We’ll see where we are at the end of the season.
DFB.de: That’s sensible. All the same, Bayern are in a transition phase and have dropped points here and there. Doesn’t the motto for you have to be, if not now, when?
Klostermann: No. As I’ve said, this is our second season in the top-flight and people sometimes forget how young our team is. We have a lot of potential but we’re still developing.
DFB.de: A recent survey found that RB Leipzig are the fourth most followed team after Bayern, BVB and 1. FC Köln. Could you believe that the club would have so much success a couple of years ago?
Klostermann: I think our way of playing football appeals to people. We’ve also had a good effect on the city and region.
DFB.de: You had only played nine matches for VfL Bochum before transferring to Leipzig. What was the reason for that?
Klostermann: I had a one-to-one chat with Ralf Rangnick, who conveyed to me the goals and philosophy of the club. The new training centre appealed to me, too. That was a good three years ago and I can now say it was the right decision in my development.
DFB.de: You are one of the fastest players in the league, with a time of 3.72 seconds over 30 metres – that’s a quicker acceleration than Usain Bolt. How did you become so fast?
Klostermann: I must have good genes. Both my parents were athletes and I was always a good sprinter.
DFB.de: You’ve started a course in economics outside your football career. Why did you decide to do that?
Klostermann: I want to be able to start a new life after I finish my football career. I don’t plan on sitting around doing nothing after I’m 35. I’ve known for a long time that I wanted to study and I find economics very interesting.
DFB.de: Do you study on the way to away matches?
Klostermann: No, I separate football and work. I study if we don’t have training, but when I’m playing football, that’s what I focus on. Studying helps me to switch off, too.
DFB.de: You missed the U21 European Championship victory because of injury. Now you’re back. How strong is the team that will face Azerbaijan and Israel in the qualifiers this November?
Klostermann: A few older players moved on from the squad after the Euros, but we’ve also had some come up from the younger teams. I think we’re in a good position to qualify.
DFB.de: Stefan Kuntz has replaced Horst Hrubesch as the head coach. What does that change?
Klostermann: Not much. There are tactical parallels between the two coaches because we are the strongest team in the group and have a lot of ball possession in games. Our opponents defend very deep. Both Stefan and Horst have clear ideas how to create space and make chances.
DFB.de: You’ve been talked about in the media as a potential candidate for the World Cup in Russia. How does that make you feel?
Klostermann: It would be a dream come true to play in the first team, but I don’t think too much about when that opportunity could arise. The most important is for me to focus on my performances because that’s how I will get picked for the U21s and then maybe the first team.
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It’s the most anticipated game of the DFB-Pokal second round – RB Leipzig against FC Bayern München. Tonight’s match will be Lukas Klostermann’s first duel against the record champions, as he missed out last season with an injury. Today, the right-back has become an integral member of Leipzig’s squad. In an interview with DFB.de, the 21-year old speaks about the cup match, his prospects with the U21s and his studies outside football.
DFB.de: Mr Klostermann, what was your first reaction when Leipzig drew Bayern?
Lukas Klostermann: It’s crazy to be playing the best team in only the second round, but we’re looking forward to the game. We’ve made it difficult for Bayern in past games – we know we can beat them if we put in a top performance.
DFB.de: Your last match against FCB ended 5-4 though you were leading 4-2 until the 84th minute. Even though you missed the game with injury, what can your team learn from that?
Klostermann: It shows that you have to keep on fighting till the last minute when you play a top team. If you let off, you will be punished.
DFB.de: What does the game mean to you personally?
Klostermann: I was a Borussia Dortmund fan when I was younger and so Bayern were always big rivals.
DFB.de: You’re playing Bayern twice inside 70 hours this week. Which game is more important?
Klostermann: The difference is that the league match is ‘only’ one of 34, whereas if you lose the cup match, you’re knocked out. We want to win both, so it doesn’t make much sense to differentiate between them.
DFB.de: Right, but are your chances of getting a title higher in the cup or in the league?
Klostermann: I’ve not thought about that. We are playing our second season in the Bundesliga and it’s still early days this year. It would be presumptuous to talk about winning the title.
DFB.de: Leipzig CEO Oliver Mintzlaff said that tenth position would be okay. How do you see it as a player?
Klostermann: As a player, I focus on the next game. We’ll see where we are at the end of the season.
DFB.de: That’s sensible. All the same, Bayern are in a transition phase and have dropped points here and there. Doesn’t the motto for you have to be, if not now, when?
Klostermann: No. As I’ve said, this is our second season in the top-flight and people sometimes forget how young our team is. We have a lot of potential but we’re still developing.
DFB.de: A recent survey found that RB Leipzig are the fourth most followed team after Bayern, BVB and 1. FC Köln. Could you believe that the club would have so much success a couple of years ago?
Klostermann: I think our way of playing football appeals to people. We’ve also had a good effect on the city and region.
DFB.de: You had only played nine matches for VfL Bochum before transferring to Leipzig. What was the reason for that?
Klostermann: I had a one-to-one chat with Ralf Rangnick, who conveyed to me the goals and philosophy of the club. The new training centre appealed to me, too. That was a good three years ago and I can now say it was the right decision in my development.
DFB.de: You are one of the fastest players in the league, with a time of 3.72 seconds over 30 metres – that’s a quicker acceleration than Usain Bolt. How did you become so fast?
Klostermann: I must have good genes. Both my parents were athletes and I was always a good sprinter.
DFB.de: You’ve started a course in economics outside your football career. Why did you decide to do that?
Klostermann: I want to be able to start a new life after I finish my football career. I don’t plan on sitting around doing nothing after I’m 35. I’ve known for a long time that I wanted to study and I find economics very interesting.
DFB.de: Do you study on the way to away matches?
Klostermann: No, I separate football and work. I study if we don’t have training, but when I’m playing football, that’s what I focus on. Studying helps me to switch off, too.
DFB.de: You missed the U21 European Championship victory because of injury. Now you’re back. How strong is the team that will face Azerbaijan and Israel in the qualifiers this November?
Klostermann: A few older players moved on from the squad after the Euros, but we’ve also had some come up from the younger teams. I think we’re in a good position to qualify.
DFB.de: Stefan Kuntz has replaced Horst Hrubesch as the head coach. What does that change?
Klostermann: Not much. There are tactical parallels between the two coaches because we are the strongest team in the group and have a lot of ball possession in games. Our opponents defend very deep. Both Stefan and Horst have clear ideas how to create space and make chances.
DFB.de: You’ve been talked about in the media as a potential candidate for the World Cup in Russia. How does that make you feel?
Klostermann: It would be a dream come true to play in the first team, but I don’t think too much about when that opportunity could arise. The most important is for me to focus on my performances because that’s how I will get picked for the U21s and then maybe the first team.
