Weigl: "I always try to give the team the right thing"

In an interview with borussia.de, Julian Weigl speaks about Borussia’s 2-2 draw away to Wolfsburg, the sparkling form of Marcus Thuram and his role in the centre of the park.

‘Jule’, how do you feel about the draw in Wolfsburg?

Julian Weigl: All things considered, I think it was the right result – even if we did lead twice and as a result can’t be completely satisfied with the draw. It wasn’t our best game in general – it was a tough away game against a strong opponent. All in all, we can live with taking a point.

Give us a summary of the game from your point of view.

Weigl: We had too little possession for what we wanted to do, and Wolfsburg did very well when they had the ball. We didn’t press effectively enough and kept giving the ball away quickly. We weren’t as confident with our passes as we know we can be and that we’re used to, and didn’t find solutions to that or ways through. Defensively though, we were fully up for the fight and always managed to get a leg in the way of their shots, throwing ourselves into everything. We started both halves of the game well, which is when we scored both our goals, but then we just became too passive and let Wolfsburg play the game at their own pace. That gave them chances and then they created their second goal very well.

Their first goal was also well played from Wolfsburg too though, right? It didn’t look easy for you guys to defend it.

Weigl: We actually spoke in the build-up to the game about how we would defend against those deep runs they made, but despite that it didn’t work perfectly. Things look a lot easier when you move the magnets around on the tactics board. We lost our focus a little bit just twice, and our opponents came down the wings – it was almost impossible to defend the crosses at that point. Wolfsburg also have a lot of players who always track back, too, especially their central midfielders and wide players. They just played the ball well and the guy scored.

What did you think of the way we played for Marcus Thuram to score his first goal?

Weigl: We did exactly what the coach wanted us to do before the game for that first goal. The attack was good from the start. We won the ball back and then got it out to the left wing, where Tikus showed his absolute speed and close control. He’s unbelievably difficult to stop in those situations – we know that ourselves from training. His shot was also perfect – there was no chance for the ‘keeper.

What do you think of Tikus at the moment?

Weigl: He’s a player who gives the team so much, especially if we press our opponents high – like we did against Wolfsburg – and find no way through, he’s also very strong with his back to goal. He can hold up the ball well but is also unbelievably quick. He always gives you an option for a long ball, whether that’s playing it over the back line or purely with a clearance – his pace is a real danger. It’s great for us, because it also makes us unpredictable. You could also see with his second goal just how much desire he has to score goals. Even his pressing, which hasn’t always been one of his strengths, is improving every day. He knows that he helps the team and gets more of the ball when he runs well. I think the coaching staff have worked wonders with him – Tikus has already beaten his goal tally from last season. We’re delighted to have him and hope that it keeps going.

You always look calm on the pitch and don’t seem to get nervous under pressure. Where does that come from?

Weigl: Luckily, I’ve always had a bit of that in my game – in my younger years it was one of my strengths to be calm on the ball. I would have liked to have been a bit calmer yesterday. There were a couple of moments where I could’ve shown myself, but in general I didn’t have too much of the ball, because the opponents did a bit of a number on me. I always try to give the team what I think is the right thing, though, whether that’s some calmness and keeping the ball, or quick passing and starting counter attacks. In any case, I feel good and I notice how my teammates trust me and give me the ball – that’s really important for me.

The 5-2 win in the derby last weekend saw you make your first assist in a Borussia shirt, setting up Lars Stindl. Are goals and assists something you want to add to your game?

Weigl: Yes, definitely. Last season at Benfica I had my best season with five assists and three goals – I usually only got one or two per season. Of course, I want to help my team in every way I can, but I know that goals and assists aren’t my main task. It’s always great to be involved in a goal, but it’s not something I put pressure on myself to do, and I haven’t set myself a specific target.