“Every chapter in life helps you move forward.”
“Fitness is the most important aspect in this sport. You’ve got to feel good.”
“If you play well, you are praised; if you play badly, you are criticised. Everyone should try to manage it the way they want to.”
“I think hydration is an important topic. Drinking plenty of fluids is especially important for athletes.”
“I think it’s crucial for athletes to get plenty of fluids whether their regime is intensive or not. For me, generally, I eat and drink a lot so that I’m always at the top of my game.”
“How much you need to drink depends on a lot of factors. Are you training outside? Is it hot? Is it cold? There are a lot of factors to take into consideration.”
“Should I get back to playing like the 18-year-old Mario Gotze again? I will never be the old Mario Gotze again.”
“Every player develops over time, as does every team and every opponent.”
“I learned a lot in Munich. I played with world-class players, matured, and learned from any setbacks.”
“Xabi Alonso is a very, very intelligent and experienced player with an enormous personality.”
“The Champions League enjoys a special status. It’s the most attractive trophy you can win.”
“It is always annoying when you cannot play and cannot help the team.”
“Lionel Messi is a role model for everyone, including me.”
“Looking back, it wasn’t easy when the news broke that I was leaving Dortmund, but that’s behind me now.”
“I know some players who have played abroad. It was not always easy for them.”
“I want to be healthy and able to play.”
“Positions do not really matter.”
“I get advice, but the final decision about my life is one I always take alone.”
“I cannot do everything right, I need to have the scope to make errors. This is normal, as in real life.”
“Gladbach are definitely one of the toughest opponents. They always play good football.”
“It’s great to see that there are Dortmund fans in every stadium. That is something that motivates you, and in the end, you look forward to games even more, especially Europa League or Champions League away matches, when you see how many fans follow us. It is something very special.”
“It is always positive when you get a lot of praise, but you should handle it the right way.”
“My first year in Munich was definitely not easy.”
“When I came here, Bayern had just won the treble. I was injured, then I played two games, and was injured again for the following three matches. I spent three or four months living in a hotel. All of this, combined with adjusting from life at Dortmund, made it very difficult for me.”
“To score in the World Cup final is not a small story, of course. Every footballer dreams of it: first to become a world champion and then, even better, to score in the final. This happened to me, and I’m glad.”
“If someone has reached a certain level, it is always expected that he becomes better and better, but there are also phases in which it does not run so smoothly – and that’s human.”
“I look primarily at my own expectations. These include improving steadily.”
“Anyone who was been injured for a long period can emphasise how happy you are when you are able to be back on the pitch.”
“It’s not good to end the year with a loss.”
“Peter Stoger is very, very inspirational, communicating a lot, being open and approachable for the players.”
“Once you have won a title, you want more and more of these experiences, of those emotions.”
“There are times when things are not going according to plan, and of course, you never want those times.”
“I’m a team player and think of the team first.”
“In England, there are five, six, seven big clubs, and you can never be sure who will win the title in the end. It’s very exciting.”
“As an outsider, I have to say that the Premier League is a very attractive league.”
“Pep Guardiola was technically one of the best coaches, a tremendous enrichment. But I had the feeling that he thinks only in the grid and leaves out the people and the outside.”
“For me, it’s important to perform in my club and with the national team as well.”
“It was a big step for me to go to Bayern Munich. Of course, the expectations were different than at Dortmund, but that’s what I wanted.”
“I left home at 21 to go and play for Munich and was immediately able to perform at a high standard. It was totally surreal, and I had no idea where it might lead.”
“Klopp and Guardiola are two sensational managers.”
“It’s pretty hard to predict anything when talking about the Premier League because of the liabilities the teams and the players have when playing in the Champions League and the other cups, too.”
“My desire is always to play, and that will never change, I’ve experienced too much and had too much success.”
“For me, playing through all the youth teams at Borussia Dortmund was a really good experience because I was able to play against talented opponents at a relatively early age.”
“Of course I can imagine extending my contact at Dortmund. I have always said how at home I feel here.”
“The metabolic disturbances are now part of my life.”
“The dream of everyone is playing in Spain, Madrid, or Barcelona.”
“I prefer to play in Spain than in the Premiership. Spanish football is more like my qualities.”
“I would love to be the face of Bayern.”
“I grew up there and played all the youth teams at Borussia.”
“The No. 8 position is my favourite position. That’s no secret.”
“Many associate me with the person I was when I was young. But I had a different role then, played in a different position.”
“Every player wants to be part of the World Cup.”
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