This summer, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who moved from Borussia Menchengladbach to Barcelona, continues to adjust to his new team.
A different culture, a different language, a different style of play, and ultimately, serious competition in goal. All of this is experienced for the first time by the 22-year-old German who is tasting the life of a foreign legionnaire.
The newcomer of the Catalan club was interviewed by the newspaper "El Mundo Deportivo" journalists.
- You are German. Of course, you were happy after the World Cup final?
- I am very sorry for Lionel Messi, but I will not hide the fact that I celebrated the victory of my compatriots. I watched the final match at the Barcelona hotel where I was staying. As you know, I was not called up for the national team, but I sincerely rejoiced in the success of the national team.
- Do you think that the fact that you signed a contract with Barcelona will help you in the future to get into the German national team?
- I hope so and I really want that. I think that the opportunity to play in Barca provides a great opportunity to show my best abilities.
- Do you know how long Barcelona has been watching your game?
- I know only that it has been happening for several years. Anyway, I know my strengths, I know how much experience I have gained. The day when people from Barca called me became memorable. It was just amazing.
- You have often said that your favorite player and role model is former German national team goalkeeper Oliver Kahn. But do you have a less well-known favorite player?
- I always really liked O. Kahn as a person. His character impressed me. I also admired the game of former Borussia Menchengladbach footballer Marcelo Ketelaer. When he played in my former team (Menchengladbach - ed. note), he was great, but later he moved to Hamburg, where things didn't go so well for him.
- Did you always want to be a goalkeeper?
- When I started playing football, I wanted to be a striker. I wanted to be the one who scores goals. But when I turned 12, I stood in goal. I became a player who does everything to let in fewer goals.
- You probably have heard that being a Barcelona goalkeeper is not very easy. Every player here faces tremendous pressure.
- Yes, I know that. But I came here to play football. Now I am happy that I made the decision to move to Barca, and the future will show everything.
- What impression did you get about Barcelona coach Luis Enrique during your first week at the club?
- I like the way he sees and imagines football. He is a very open person. By the way, it is immediately evident that the coach greatly respects the work of the players and understands that it is not an easy occupation.
- The current assistant coach Juan Carlos Unzue was the first to present your characteristics to the Barca managers. Do you talk to him a lot?
- Yes, we often communicate a lot. Now he constantly watches our training sessions, which are organized by the goalkeeper coach Jose Ramon de la Fuente. It is clear that it is very important for him - both as a coach's assistant and as a former goalkeeper. He really knows what he's talking about.
- How do you communicate with Jordi Masip and Claudio Bravo?
- I met Jordi a few weeks ago, and Claudio only a few days ago, as he took a longer vacation after the World Cup. But we communicate quite a lot.
- And how do you communicate?
- So far, we mostly "talk" with gestures and signs. I still don't speak Spanish very well. I attend classes and understand almost everything that others say, but I still can't say it myself.
- Do you notice differences between training in Germany and the new club?
- It usually depends on the coach and his chosen methods. In Germany, training sessions usually last two hours, sometimes a bit longer. In Barca, training is shorter but more intense. There are more exercises here, and the breaks between them only last a few minutes.
- Do you already know exactly what the coach expects from you?
- The coach already knows my sports form and knows what I can do in goal. That's what I'll do. There are no thoughts that I might not play. The most important thing for me is to play.
- And in detail? For example, how do you fare when the team is defending in a corner situation? Personally? In the zone?
- I dislike it the most when a goal is scored. The most important work of my teammates is to defend. It doesn't matter how they do it. My main task is to catch the ball when it flies towards the goal.
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