“Wie geht’s?“ and “Tor schießen!“ – Ciro Immobile is practicing his German on a daily basis with his interpreter Massimo Mariotti. “I have two pieces of paper with the most important football terms tI have to learn by tomorrow because our next game is on Friday,” said the Italian striker through his interpreter.

BVB new signing is not only keen to improve his German language skills as quickly as possible, he also wants to “play a new type of football” as he explained on Thursday.” But first I have to get used to it, I have to grow into it,” he said, adding: “The training content is different and the intensity higher than at my former club. But it’s the right way to do as we are going to play in three competitions, so we need all the stamina we can get.”

BVB’s new No9 can count on the maximum support from head coach Jürgen Klopp. After training sessions the two often can be seen standing and talking for minutes, with Klopp often putting his arm around Immobile. “He’s trying to explain things little by little, telling me that I should take things easy and not put myself under too much pressure, and learn day by day,” said the 23-year-old on the above-mentioned talks in training. Immobile also made clear that he doesn’t want to be compared with Robert Lewandowski. “He’s a great player. I will try to do my best. Time will tell whether I can get a similar goal tally. Robert is the past, I’m the future.”

“I was given a very warm welcome by the lads. I had talked with the coach before my arrival, and everything he said came true. I’m very happy to be here - at a very big club.”

Free video on BVB total!: The entire press conference

Immobile revealed that he has followed Borussia Dortmund’s progress since he was seven years old. At that time, in 1997, “his” club Juventus met BVB in the Champions League final. But what impressed him more than the Black n Yellows’ win in Munich were their supporters. “These great fans are unique in Europe,” he said, adding that in the last couple of days he has received a number of text messages from former coaches, presidents or teammates. “They were all happy that I was given this chance.”