Leupolz: "We want to win in Frankfurt again"

Some want revenge, others want to win again. The fixture between 1. FFC Frankfurt and FC Bayern München in the DFB Cup quarterfinal on Sunday (11:00 CET) is a new edition of the meeting in the Allianz Women’s Bundesliga, which took place just two weeks ago. FCB put in an impressive performance and were deserved 2-1 winners.

Credit also has to go to Germany international Melanie Leupolz, who has established as a regular at FC Bayern following her move from Freiburg in the summer. In an interview with DFB.de, the midfielder spoke on how she wants to win again in Frankfurt with her side. But the 20-year-old also talked about why her Munich side are so strong at present and are among one of the favourites in the race for the Allianz Women’s Bundesliga title.

DFB.de: Melanie, you take on FFC Frankfurt in the DFB Cup quarterfinal on Sunday. Will it be the crowning of a fantastic six months?

Melanie Leupolz: Certainly. I think that we have surpassed all expectations. But we’re not stopping there. We want to win again in Frankfurt and qualify for the semi-finals of the DFB Cup. Then we can be satisfied and enjoy a happy Christmas and look forward to all of our upcoming challenges.

DFB.de: You won there with FC Bayern two weeks ago in the Allianz Women’s Bundesliga. Will Frankfurt be doubly as motivated?

Leupolz: I’m certain of it. They’ll want revenge. But we want to win too and will try and stop them. We’ve already shown that we’re capable of it. It was a superb game – not only due to the outcome. It was also a terrific advert for women’s football, I think. Everything just fell perfectly for us, but not so much for FFC. Frankfurt are already somewhat defeated with the championship. But there’s still a long way to go. Their short-term goal will be to win the DFB Cup.

DFB.de: You are unbeaten in 13 fixtures and second in the league table. Why are FC Bayern so good at the moment?

Leupolz: We have a fantastic togetherness. We run for one another, we fight for one another. This is how you can pick them up sometimes when a player isn’t having the best day. I actually think that the team spirit and togetherness is one of our key strengths at the moment. Our manager Thomas Wörle places heavy emphasis on that.

DFB.de: You moved to Bayern from Freiburg in summer. How have the past six months been?

Leupolz: Like a dream. It’s been simply amazing! I’ve felt at home here since the first day. At no moment have i regretted the move. I’ve been welcomed fantasticly. I’m enthused about how professional everything is here in Munich. Every training session is a new challenge for me as I can learn just so much.

DFB.de: Are you dreaming of the title yet?

Leupolz: Nope, that’s not something we think about in the dressing room.

DFB.de: Really though?

Leupolz: No. It may sound stupid but we’re only taking it a game at a time. That’s the way it’s been since the first matchday. And I think that this approach has served us well to be frank. Why should we change that now? The season is long and there’s a lot that could still happen. We definitely don’t want to put ourselves under any pressure. We want to play a major role as long as possible and then we’ll see what the result is come the summer of next year.

DFB.de: Then the World Cup in Canada is on the agenda. Do you have one eye on the tournament?

Leupolz: Of course. The World Cup in Canada isn’t too far off. We’ve already played the first of the warm-up games. It’s important that we lay the foundations now. It would the biggest tournament for me if I’m at the tournament. It would be my first World Cup and I’ll give everything for the cause – in the Allianz women’s Bundesliga, the DFB Cup in the internationals.

DFB.de: What’s possible in Canada?

Leupolz: Anything is always possible for a Germany national team. However, you shouldn’t overlook that the top sides in the world are always getting tighter. Small things are the difference between winning and losing at this level. The group phase alone is a challenge. We’ve drawn Norway, who are a very good opponent. There’s no easy game anymore in women’s football – and that’s a good thing. The attractiveness of our game will then increase.