Sommer: “Attack these games head on”

Goalkeeper Yann Sommer speaks about the recent international games with Switzerland, the Bundesliga win over Schalke last time out and upcoming opponents SC Freiburg.

Yann, you won your first two qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. How do you think those games went?

Yann Sommer: We did well in these two matches. Starting a qualification campaign with two wins is always important, even if everything wasn’t perfect during the games. The main thing is that we’ve got six points from six so far. I then left a little earlier than planned due to personal reasons.

There was a strange moment in the game against Lithuania, with the goal being too high! How did you notice that?

Sommer: I didn’t spot it initially, but then during the warm-up something didn’t feel right. Someone informed the referee and the goal was measured. I think it was about 10cm too high in the end, which is fatal for someone of my height (laughs). Thankfully it was sorted out though.

A few players are still away with their national sides and we won’t have a full squad again until Thursday or Friday. How much of an impact does this have on your preparations for the game against Freiburg on Saturday?

Sommer: It obviously means you have less time to prepare for the game as a team, but I don’t think it’ll make a huge difference. We know each other well and we’ve been playing together for a long time now. The important thing is that the players who have been away quickly switch their focus back to Borussia and the next game. Some of the lads played on Wednesday night and will then be in action again on Saturday in the Bundesliga. It’s tough, but we’ll deal with it accordingly.

We finally got a Bundesliga win last time out, beating Schalke 3-0. How important was that victory?

Sommer: The win did us the world of good, especially after such a bad run. At the end of the day though, you leave the stadium feeling great after any win. We’re also still aware that it was only one win and we’re still in a tricky situation, which we need to get ourselves out of. I’m convinced that we’ll get it done as a team and be successful in the coming weeks.

SC Freiburg, who are up next, are just above us in the table. How important is a game against a direct rival?

Sommer: A game like this is really important. Freiburg have a strong team and play good football. We’re back home on Saturday and we want to build on the win at Schalke. We still need a lot of points if we want to end the season successfully. That’s our big aim and we’ll attack these next games head on.

There’s a clear pattern against Freiburg. We lose away there and beat them at home. What’s the reason for that?

Sommer: It’s hard to say. They are really strong at home and have been for many years. I don’t think stats like this are particularly important though. It’s a new game on Saturday and we have to perform. We need to play with power, be active and brave so that we can get the three points.