Reitz and Müsel: “It’s been a very helpful time”

In an interview, two young Foals returning from loans, Rocco Reitz and Torben Müsel, look back on their spells at Belgian Pro League clubs, Reitz at VV St. Truiden and Müsel at KAS Eupen.

Rocco Reitz (19) and Torben Müsel (22) have been playing out on loan in Belgium, at two Pro League clubs. Reitz made 24 appearances at VV St. Triuden, scoring two goals, whilst Müsel played 10 games in the half-season he spent at KAS Eupen. As the regular league season has ended in Belgium, with only the play-off games to go, both young Foals are back in Mönchengladbach, and have spoken to us about their respective experiences in Belgium in an interview.

Rocco and Torben, how does it feel to be back at Borussia following your time away?

Reitz: It feels great to be back at home. I really enjoyed my time in Belgium, but nothing is better than being back at home. It’s just great to be able to see your family and friends every day and say hello to the many familiar faces at the club.

Müsel: I’m happy to be back here, but I’m sad to be leaving KAS Eupen as I had a lot of fun there and was able to learn a lot. I met a lot of great people there, both off and on the pitch, and took a lot of positives away from it.

Rocco, how did the loan go for you in a sporting sense, Torben, were you able to integrate yourself with the squad quickly?

Reitz: I’ve definitely made a step forward both as a footballer and off the pitch too. It wasn’t always easy to be living on my own at 19 years old in a different country, but I dealt with the situation and was able to develop myself. I’ve seen this whole year as a learning phase for me; to be playing top-division football at such a young age has been a really valuable experience. I got my rewards for doing well in training when I got into the starting XI, but even the games I was came off the bench for to put some energy on the pitch were very helpful. It was also a fantastic feeling to score my first two goals in professional football.

Müsel: The German players at Eupen, like Andreas Beck and Robin Himmelmann, really helped me find my feet quickly and feel right at home. Eupen is one of the German-speaking places in Belgium, so it wasn’t too big of an upheaval for me. I think the Belgian league is a bit more robust than the Bundesliga – the tackles are harder, but it has done me a lot of good, as I’ve been able to learn some things from it. The standard of football in the Bundesliga is a tough higher, but all in it’s been a very helpful time for me there.

What were you able to learn from the experienced players there?

Reitz: I learned a lot, off the pitch in particular. One of the big things was that if things aren’t going the way you imagined they would, or you disagree with your coach, it’s important to stay quiet, keep a cool head and keep doing your thing.

Müsel: I was able to learn a huge amount from Smail Prevaljak in particular. He’s a real fox in the box and is unbelievably calm on the ball. That’s something I’ve been missing a bit, as I’m too chaotic sometimes. I learned a lot from him about that, and I think it’s given me a big help.

What are your goals for the future?

Reitz: I don’t have a playing license for the Bundesliga unfortunately, so my main goal is staying fit until the end of the season here at Borussia. Then, we’ve got a summer break, which I want to come back from full of energy. I want to break through here and would love to play in more Bundesliga matches for my hometown club.

Müsel: Because I sadly don’t have a playing license for the rest of the Bundesliga season, it’s all about me giving my all in training to show that I’ve gained some important experience from my time in Belgium. I want to bring out the best of myself, make my mark and show that I’m determined to do my best.