We're approaching the mid-point of this year's Bundesliga summer break - many are still reflecting on the past season, but attention is now starting to turn to 2020/21. Marco Reus took time out of his holiday for an exclusive interview with BVB-TV. In a wide-reaching and personal conversation with Patrick Owomoyela, our club captain discusses what's driving him forward through injury struggles in his 09th year at BVB, discusses his social engagement and tells us which teammate he'd trust to babysit for his daughter. 

''Football has changed. You can't compare the way teams play now with how they did six or seven years ago. The game has become faster, more varied, more tactical,'' says Reus as he reflects on his early days at BVB. The 31-year-old now wears the captain's armband for the Black & Yellows: ''For me, it's all about encouraging my teammates on the training pitch in those difficult phases of the season. The most important thing is to lead the way with performance.'' Reus is joined on the team council by fellow leaders Lukasz Piszczek, Mats Hummels und Axel Witsel: ''I'm always talking to them, we're always discussing how we can improve.''

Again and again Reus has struggled with injury during his career, and again and again he's managed to bounce back. ''I find that during a spell out injured, I try to focus on the present, on the next few days. It's really hard being in the recovery phase, and it gets you down when you see your teammates training and playing,'' says Reus. ''You're happy to see the team win, but you know that you didn't do much to contribute. It's sobering. You want to be back in action as soon as possible.'' A return to the training pitch is never too far away: ''When I know that I'm doing well, that I no longer have injury problems, that I'm in training - then I want to help the team. I can always bring an extra sense of energy and passion to the table, perhaps because I'm more carefree than the others, who have a few more games on the clock. I try to show the quality I have on the pitch. Hopefully I can manage it again next season.'' (cr)

BVB-TV: interview with Marco Reus