Elvedi: “I’m feeling good”

After completing his first team training session since arriving at Borussia’s training camp in Tegernsee, central defender Nico Elvedi answered questions from the media during a press conference. Amongst other things, the 25-year-old discussed new head coach Daniel Farke.

Nico Elvedi on... 

...the change in head coach: A new head coach always brings a new energy to the team. I’m pleased with the appointment and looking forward to working with him. There are some things that Daniel Farke would like to bring into the team, and we’ve got lots of time both here at the training camp as well as in the run-up to the season to get used to his ideas and style of play. 

...Daniel Farke: My first impressions have been very good. I think he suits Borussia brilliantly. I’m excited for the next few days and am feeling good. I’ve heard from teammates that his training sessions are hard work – and I experienced that this morning. But that’s a good thing, pre-season needs to be challenging. It’s important that we’re fit going into the new season so that we can give it our all as soon as the campaign begins. 

...his role within the team: I’ve been at the club for seven years now and have experienced a lot in that time. I’m 25 years old now and I'm expected to take on more of a leading role now. I’d like to help my teammates and make sure that they feel comfortable, especially the younger players. I think I’ve done that pretty well so far. 

...his position: I’ve actually always felt more comfortable playing on the right side of central defence, but I’ve had no issues playing at left-centre-back for the last few years. I’ll speak with the coach soon and see where he envisages me playing. 

...a new defensive partner: Marvin Friedrich and Jordan Beyer are different types of player to me, so the most important thing is that our different playing styles can complement each other simultaneously and that we harmonise well together at the back. I don’t see any issues there. 

...a four-man defensive system: Having four at the back is a bit more compact. I think it makes a big difference, because the team feels more comfortable in this system. Of course, we’ll need to readjust to playing like this once again, but I’m optimistic that we’ll be able to do that. 

...his affinity to Borussia: I’ve been here for seven years now, which is a huge amount of time. I’m extremely happy here. The fans are unbelievable. It just suits me perfectly. It wasn’t easy to come here at 18, because I hadn’t played that much due to injury. The way things have turned out here are better than I could have ever imagined. 

...injury prevention: Fortunately, I’ve got a good muscular structure, but I am making sure that I have a good pre-season, that I warm up properly before sessions and then take enough time after training for recovery. I also take lots of care in terms of my diet, all of which I think contributes to the fact that I’m rarely injured. 

...the upcoming World Cup: I’m looking forward to the tournament and of course it’s already in the back of my mind. But first of all, we’ve got football to play at Borussia. We want this season to be much better than the last, so my focus for the moment is solely on that.