Interview
Here’s how Lars Ricken looks ahead to the new BVB season
Lars Ricken on his first impressions of preseason:
“There’s a lot of excitement among all the players and staff. It’s finally starting, and I’m really looking forward to preseason as well. With Arsenal, AS Roma, and Bayern Munich—and if you count the Super Cup match—we’ll be facing three Champions League teams during preseason. It all kicks off today. We want to lay the groundwork to be as successful as possible this season.”
… BVB’s sporting goals:
“The season before last, we were still chasing a Champions League spot. Last season was all about stabilizing everything and bringing consistency to our performance. We wanted to get even fitter as a team and get injury issues under control. Niko Kovac and his team did an excellent job of that. Of course, we now want to take the next step. Defensively, we want to be tough—something we’ve managed quite well over the past ten years. Offensively, we want to be an aggressive contender. Our goal is to keep getting better and to thrill our fans.”
… on the transfer activity so far:
“I can understand a certain impatience on the part of some people. But we, as the people in charge, also have to be patient. We’ve already added three players. With Joane Gadou, we’ve strengthened our central defense, and with Kaua Prates and Justin Lerma, we’ve brought in two young players. Players like Luca Reggiani and Samuele Inacio are also something of a new addition for us. We didn’t necessarily expect them to be at this level already and to make such a significant contribution on the field.”
… on the future transfer strategy:
“When it comes to new signings, the primary focus is on quality, not on whether they’re younger or older. We want to sign players who make us better. I’m convinced that we’ll succeed in doing so by the end of the transfer window and that we’ll have a roster that’s stronger and better than last year’s.”
… the current roster:
“We also have players like Carney Chukwuemeka, Fabio Silva, and Jobe Bellingham, whom we signed last year and who are now taking the next step. That’s also what we expect from them. We’ve kept the core of the team together. We want to make one, two, or three more good signings. But we want to make the right signings—not ones that will just get us short-term applause. We’re taking the time to ultimately sign players who will help us on the field.”
… the balance of the roster:
“Players who bring a certain level of experience, quality, and leadership are, of course, very important—especially for the young players. But we have those players in our roster as well—for example, Nico Schlotterbeck, Waldemar Anton, Felix Nmecha, Julian Ryerson, and Marcel Sabitzer. They’re all seasoned players who are extremely important to the younger ones. With them by their side, the younger players can continue to grow and don’t have to take on all the responsibility right away. That’s why I do believe we have a good mix.”
… on the status of the injured Nico Schlotterbeck:
“It’s going to take a few more weeks—to be honest, that’s the reality. He was one of the first players back here. That shows his motivation to return as quickly and as strong as possible. We’ll have to see how his recovery progresses.”
Recorded by Mats-Yannick Roth