DFB.de: Your former club Mainz 05 are playing here in Hamburg on Sunday. Will it be a special game for you?
Nicolai Müller: Yes, of course it will be a special game. It’s going to be nice to see my former colleagues. Mainz have a very balanced team and work as a unit. There haven’t been many changes in their team recently. They have been a stable side over the last five years. On the other hand, they are also going through a rough patch at the moment. We have to try and take advantage of that.
DFB.de: The remaining three Bundesliga opponents this year after Sunday are SC Freiburg, VfB Stuttgart and FC Schalke 04. How would you rate your chances to improve from your current position before the winter break?
Nicolai Müller: Chances are definitely there. We have no more room to make excuses. We would like to take a result from all of these games, especially both home matches against fellow relegation rivals Mainz and Freiburg. However, we need more stability in our performances and gaining that becomes really difficult if you alternate victory and defeat on a weekly basis.
DFB.de: You linked up with Hamburg about four months ago. What is your first impression of your new home?
Nicolai Müller: I feel good in Hamburg. Everyone knows that it’s a beautiful city. It could be more beautiful if we had collected more points. I’m very pleased with our fans. It’s an amazing feeling to play in front of 50,000 spectators here. As a club, HSV is certainly a notch or two higher than Mainz in the pecking order. That’s exactly what made me decide to come here. At 27 I wanted to make a new experience.
DFB.de: You played a great season with Mainz last year but now face a relegation battle with HSV. Is fun still part of football in a situation like that?
Nicolai Müller: It’s obviously an entirely different situation. But I still enjoy it. Otherwise it would become even more difficult.
Following three successful seasons with 1. FSV Mainz 05, in which he scored 21 Bundesliga goals, Nicolai Müller linked up with northern side Hamburger SV at the start of this campaign. His versatility in attack, his pace and clinical touch are attributes which are helping the Bundesliga founding member during their current period of transition. The 27-year-old was ruled out at the start of the season due to a groin injury, but made his debut for HSV on matchday 3 against Hannover 96. Since then he has started every game for Hamburg.
Hamburg and Müller will host Mainz on Sunday (15:30 CET). His former club has not forgotten the qualities of the attacking midfielder. “We miss him,” confessed Mainz sporting director Christian Heidel during an interview with a Hamburg newspaper. Nicolai Müller sat down with Oliver Jensen to discuss the upcoming encounter with his ex-club, Hamburg’s relegation battle and his first impressions of his new home.
DFB.de: Mr. Müller, how surprised are you by the fact that Hamburger SV are second-bottom after matchday 13?
Nicolai Müller: We all knew that this wouldn’t be an easy season. We lack consistency. At home we have managed to perform well recently, but on the road we are still struggling.
DFB.de: Hamburg’s squad has a lot of quality. What is the main reason why Hamburg are still in the relegation battle?
Nicolai Müller: It’s simply a long process. We have shown good performances this season, displaying what we are capable off. Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to do that week in and week out. In training we work on creating better chances and gaining the necessary confidence in the final third. I think we are on a good path.
DFB.de: How would you rate your own performance so far?
Nicolai Müller: It’s still improvable. I try to fight my way into the game every week and improve. Hopefully, that will turn into more goals soon. My record (editor’s note: 1 goal, 1 assist) isn’t exactly outstanding so far. You have to work really hard in order to regain your confidence.
DFB.de: Your former club Mainz 05 are playing here in Hamburg on Sunday. Will it be a special game for you?
Nicolai Müller: Yes, of course it will be a special game. It’s going to be nice to see my former colleagues. Mainz have a very balanced team and work as a unit. There haven’t been many changes in their team recently. They have been a stable side over the last five years. On the other hand, they are also going through a rough patch at the moment. We have to try and take advantage of that.
DFB.de: The remaining three Bundesliga opponents this year after Sunday are SC Freiburg, VfB Stuttgart and FC Schalke 04. How would you rate your chances to improve from your current position before the winter break?
Nicolai Müller: Chances are definitely there. We have no more room to make excuses. We would like to take a result from all of these games, especially both home matches against fellow relegation rivals Mainz and Freiburg. However, we need more stability in our performances and gaining that becomes really difficult if you alternate victory and defeat on a weekly basis.
DFB.de: You linked up with Hamburg about four months ago. What is your first impression of your new home?
Nicolai Müller: I feel good in Hamburg. Everyone knows that it’s a beautiful city. It could be more beautiful if we had collected more points. I’m very pleased with our fans. It’s an amazing feeling to play in front of 50,000 spectators here. As a club, HSV is certainly a notch or two higher than Mainz in the pecking order. That’s exactly what made me decide to come here. At 27 I wanted to make a new experience.
DFB.de: You played a great season with Mainz last year but now face a relegation battle with HSV. Is fun still part of football in a situation like that?
Nicolai Müller: It’s obviously an entirely different situation. But I still enjoy it. Otherwise it would become even more difficult.
