Kerem Demirbay: “I didn’t drop much physically”

You’ve had your first training sessions since being back from the Christmas holidays. How are you feeling and how are you getting on compared to the end of the year?

Demirbay: I can feel it a bit in training but it’s good that it was a short break. We’d all worked very hard, so physically my levels didn’t drop very much. I hope that I and us as a team can get back into things quickly.

You face Groningen in a friendly on Sunday. What do you expect from this match?

Demirbay: We want to win the game and I really hope that nobody gets injured so that we can carry on preparing altogether as a team. That is very important. In terms of tactics, our attention will certainly be on what Julian Nagelsmann has been addressing. We want to be better, more compact in defence and to limit the opposition’s shots. This is a good opportunity to play under competitive conditions. We don’t have much time before we get back into the Bundesliga.

There are just 15 days to go. Have you already started thinking about the game against Augsburg?

Demirbay: Of course. Two weeks is not a long time. We’re getting ready to go into this match and give it 100%. That’s our aim. We’re working to be able to do that, so this game is on my mind. We can train under top conditions for the next two weeks here. It’s always slightly different staying in Germany than going somewhere warmer. We have everything we need in Zuzenhausen. Everyone can sleep in their own bed. That’s really good.

What are your targets for the season?

Demirbay: I want to pick up where I left off in 2016. I want to help the team, score goals and be successful with the team. That’s the most important theme.