Neuhaus: “Incredibly happy to be involved”

Florian Neuhaus talks about his call-up for the Germany national team, call-ups for his teammates and Borussia’s final game of the season against Bremen. (photo: imago/Kraft)

Congratulations on your Germany call-up for the European Championships, Flo! How does it feel?

Neuhaus: It’s a really special feeling; I’m unbelievably proud to be part of the team. It was an objective of mine and a huge dream to play for Germany at a major tournament. Now I am incredibly happy to have been called up.

How did you find out about the call-up?

Neuhaus: We found out a few minutes before the official announcement, but of course we were all still excited when the full squad was announced. I called my girlfriend and my parents straight away and told them about the decision, then we all celebrated together. It was really nice.

If you're joining up with the Germany national team after the end of the Bundesliga season, your summer break will probably be cancelled for the time being, won’t it?

Neuhaus: Of course, I'd been hoping a bit and therefore hadn't booked any kind of holiday yet. I've regularly been a part of the national team squad for about a year now and was also getting more and more game time. I've also had good one-on-one discussions with the coach and in general have a good relationship with him. Of course, you can never be 100 percent certain whether you will be included, but you have hopes of being called up. I'm pleased that we're able to have a European Championship and I hope that we'll be there as long as possible, and that my holiday will be pushed back even further.

Alongside you, Jogi Löw also called up Matthias Ginter and Jonas Hofmann to the national team…

Neuhaus: I’m really pleased about that. Hoffi was called up to the last squad but had to travel home after contracting Covid-19. Ginni is a regular feature of the side. I think it works well for us to travel to the national team together as the three Gladbach players.

With Marcus Thuram called up for France, and Stefan Lainer and Valentino Lazaro [Austria] as well as the Swiss players, you’ll come up against some Borussia teammates at the tournament…

Neuhaus: Yes, the French squad was announced yesterday and of course, we all congratulated Tikus. I'm really happy for him. National teams and call-ups are always an important thing for us and you're always happy when you face teammates at a European Championship.

But before you go and join up with your national teams, you have the season finale with Borussia on Saturday in Bremen.

Neuhaus: We know that the final game is a very important one for us. We’ve been working towards it for the whole week and of course, we want to win the game. We also have to look at what’s going on in Berlin, where Union will play Leipzig, but it’s important that we win our game in the first place. The game, as for us, has a lot of importance for Werder. We want to get seventh place to be able to play European football next season. It will certainly be an interesting game, and hopefully we will be the happier of the two sides come full time.

Werder are fighting to maintain Bundesliga status and, in Thomas Schaaf, will have a new face in the dugout. It certainly won’t be an easy game, will it?

Neuhaus: Not at all. For both teams, this final game means everything. I think it will be a very intense and exciting game.