Sander: "The success of the team comes first"

In an interview, new signing Philipp Sander spoke about joining Borussia and the role he hopes to take up at the Foals, as well as looking forward to making his debut at BORUSSIA-PARK.

Welcome to Borussia, Philipp. You joined from Holstein Kiel having helped the team win promotion to the Bundesliga for the first time. What was the decision like for you?

Philipp Sander: You always run through different scenarios in your head and consider how things could turn out. The fact that my time in Kiel ended the way it did is a bit like a fairy tale ending for me. Although my departure was known for a while already, I did my best to keep my focus entirely on what I could contribute on the pitch. Winning promotion is something very special for the club and the city. There's that old saying about leaving on a high note. That's the feeling I have right now. I couldn't have imagined a better ending.

Despite winning promotion, you decided to join Borussia. What factors influenced your decision?

Sander: Borussia enjoy a special reputation, both in Germany and in Europe as a whole, and I think the style of play here really fits to me. When I heard that Gladbach were interested in me, I was immediately on board. Although I felt at home in Kiel, it wasn't a tough decision to make when considering things from a sporting perspective. I've made no secret of the fact that one of my goals has always been to play in the Bundesliga and to continue to push myself.

You just mentioned that Borussia are a special club. What's been your perception of the club thus far?

Sander: In my opinion, Borussia are a club that is well-liked by everyone and that has managed to be successful over the past years. As a football fan, I've been able to watch several good Borussia games. The club have also had several good footballers in their ranks over the last years that I really enjoyed watching, such as Lars Stindl. I had the honour of getting to play against him this season and was able to swap shirts with him afterwards. To sum it up, I think that Borussia are a club that play an attractive brand of football, in addition to being successful.  

How would you describe yourself as a player?

Sander: I'd say that I'm a player with a strong technical ability who is always willing to help out in both attack and defence. The success of the team comes first for me. I'm always pretty calm out on the pitch and try to help the team. Overall, I have the feeling that the way that the club want to play at BORUSSIA-PARK really complements my own style of play.

You wore the captain's armband at Holstein Kiel this past season. What sort of role do you hope to take up at Borussia?

Sander: I don't think there were many people – myself included – that expected me to become captain ahead of the season. I think that I really grew into the role. There are only a few people that are natural-born leaders. You grow as a person after taking up responsibility, which is something that I think I've managed to do this season, especially with the help of the team council. I will now obviously look to take everything that I learned and did as a captain and player in Kiel with me to Borussia and do the same here. I think that's one of my strengths. As a result, I'll be taking that confidence into my first training session here, while also remaining humble, in order to give it 100% right from the start.

Do you already know any of your new teammates?

Sander: I don't know anyone from the first team, but I did play together in Kiel with Julian Korb from the U23s. There were also a few lads at Holstein that previously played for Borussia, such as Marvin Schulz. They were able to tell me a lot about the club and give me some tips about who best to go to if I have specific things I wanted to ask about.

What do you think about BORUSSIA-PARK?

Sander: BORUSSIA-PARK is incredible. The stands were empty the only time I've been in it so far, but it was still very impressive. Of course, I did watch some of the recent games on TV and know the energy that can be generated by the crowd. The home game against Köln really left an impression on me. The size of the ground and the set-up here is very different to Kiel. I'm really looking forward to it.

What do the next weeks look like for you?

Sander: After our promotion party in Kiel, I'll spend the summer break preparing for my move. Fortunately, I've already been able to find an apartment. After that, I'll be off on holiday.

What are you most looking forward to with Borussia?

Sander: I'm looking forward to getting to know the team, the coaches and the entire staff, as well as my new surroundings. I'm also really excited to get to play in front of the fans at BORUSSIA-PARK for the first time.