Lars Stindl usually likes to do his talking on the pitch, but after Lucien Favre’s resignation following a difficult start to the season and the revival that André Shubert brought to the club, we caught up with him to see what he had to say about the year so far, the recent run of good form coming to an end against Leverkusen and the DFB Cup match against Werder Bremen.
DFB.de: Lars Stindl, are Borussia running out of steam before the winter break?
Lars Stindl: No, I wouldn’t take the Leverkusen game as a sign of that. We didn’t play well and deserved to lose, but we played very well against Manchester City midweek and beat Bayern last weekend. We are now playing in the DFB Cup, and will do everything we can to win the game. Then hopefully we can celebrate a great first half of the season in our last game on Sunday against Darmstadt.
DFB.de: Are you happy that the cup game against Werder is the next task following the 5-0 defeat to Leverkusen?
Stindl: Yes. We don’t have a lot of time to dwell on the defeat and have to move on to a game in which we can do better.
DFB.de: Does the cup have a certain attraction for you?
Stindl: The DFB Cup is one the best competitions with its own rules, so yes. Anything is possible, it’s a competition where low league team can beat Bundesliga sides.
DFB.de: How often do you, as a footballer, dream of going to Berlin for the final?
Stindl: Unfortunately I have never been there for a final, but I think it’s the dream for every player. When you talk to players who have been, you hear stories of great atmospheres and I definitely want to experience that. I hope I will done day.
DFB.de: Borussia were knocked out of Europe. Which feeling is more prominent? The pride about the good performances or the disappointment that you are no longer in?
Stindl: Definitely pride. Of course, we were very disappointed after the game in Manchester but we can be proud of what we did in the Champions League. We did well from the first game and were in a very tough group.
DFB.de: Did you ever doubt yourself during the bad run of form at the start of the season when you had issues and changed position numerous times?
Stindl: No. We imagined the beginning of the season differently but we stuck in because we knew that we had quality and that we would get out of the difficult situation. I have brought some experience of being in crisis situations with me from Hannover.
DFB.de: Things are going better now that André Schubert is in charge. What does he do differently to his predecessor Lucien Favre?
Stindl: Every manager does things differently. Schubert didn’t change much but we try to attack earlier and put a lot of focus on pressing and with every win our confidence has grown.
DFB.de: With your good performances it’s only natural that you are getting closer to the national team. Are you hopeful of being selected?
Stindl: It’s an honour to be linked with the national team. It’s the dream for any player. But I have to be realistic and in all of my positions there are better players.
DFB.de: Have you book a holiday for summer 2016 then?
Stindl: No, not yet.
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Lars Stindl usually likes to do his talking on the pitch, but after Lucien Favre’s resignation following a difficult start to the season and the revival that André Shubert brought to the club, we caught up with him to see what he had to say about the year so far, the recent run of good form coming to an end against Leverkusen and the DFB Cup match against Werder Bremen.
DFB.de: Lars Stindl, are Borussia running out of steam before the winter break?
Lars Stindl: No, I wouldn’t take the Leverkusen game as a sign of that. We didn’t play well and deserved to lose, but we played very well against Manchester City midweek and beat Bayern last weekend. We are now playing in the DFB Cup, and will do everything we can to win the game. Then hopefully we can celebrate a great first half of the season in our last game on Sunday against Darmstadt.
DFB.de: Are you happy that the cup game against Werder is the next task following the 5-0 defeat to Leverkusen?
Stindl: Yes. We don’t have a lot of time to dwell on the defeat and have to move on to a game in which we can do better.
DFB.de: Does the cup have a certain attraction for you?
Stindl: The DFB Cup is one the best competitions with its own rules, so yes. Anything is possible, it’s a competition where low league team can beat Bundesliga sides.
DFB.de: How often do you, as a footballer, dream of going to Berlin for the final?
Stindl: Unfortunately I have never been there for a final, but I think it’s the dream for every player. When you talk to players who have been, you hear stories of great atmospheres and I definitely want to experience that. I hope I will done day.
DFB.de: Borussia were knocked out of Europe. Which feeling is more prominent? The pride about the good performances or the disappointment that you are no longer in?
Stindl: Definitely pride. Of course, we were very disappointed after the game in Manchester but we can be proud of what we did in the Champions League. We did well from the first game and were in a very tough group.
DFB.de: Did you ever doubt yourself during the bad run of form at the start of the season when you had issues and changed position numerous times?
Stindl: No. We imagined the beginning of the season differently but we stuck in because we knew that we had quality and that we would get out of the difficult situation. I have brought some experience of being in crisis situations with me from Hannover.
DFB.de: Things are going better now that André Schubert is in charge. What does he do differently to his predecessor Lucien Favre?
Stindl: Every manager does things differently. Schubert didn’t change much but we try to attack earlier and put a lot of focus on pressing and with every win our confidence has grown.
DFB.de: With your good performances it’s only natural that you are getting closer to the national team. Are you hopeful of being selected?
Stindl: It’s an honour to be linked with the national team. It’s the dream for any player. But I have to be realistic and in all of my positions there are better players.
DFB.de: Have you book a holiday for summer 2016 then?
Stindl: No, not yet.
