Lukas Rupp: "It’s always special"

Hi, Lukas. How was your first week with TSG?

Lukas Rupp: It went well and was a lot of fun. I headed straight to the camp and spent a lot of time on the pitch. I had to miss one day of action due to an injury but other than that I was fully involved.

What happened?

Rupp: I took a stood to the knee, which resulted in an open wound. The team doctor was scared that it was going to get infected because of how deep it was, so I was told to rest for a day.

Pre-season remains intense as you have seven training sessions and a game this week...

Rupp: Representing your new club for the first time is always special. After spending a lot of time working on things at the training ground, it’s always nice to go out and see how they work. The system here is a new one for me, so I can’t wait to try it out.

What have you made of Julian Nagelsmann’s training sessions so far?

Rupp: They’re tough and can be mentally challenging. However, the high-pressure situations promote teamwork and bring us close together. When things like this happen in matches, we’ll be able to find clever solutions quickly.

There are a few weeks to go until the season starts. Have you started to think about it yet?

Rupp: I’m primarily looking at the friendlies and sessions currently because I want to give a good account of myself. Obviously, I’ve thought about it a bit but not in too much detail.

You’re TSG’s new number 7. How did that come about?

Rupp: It’s the number that I always wanted. I knew that TSG don’t really issue it anymore, so I’m thankful that they made an exception for me, as it enables me to go out with my favourite number on the back of my top.

And finally, what are your targets for pre-season?

Rupp: The lads have helped me settle in and I already knew the area, so I’m able to focus on my football more. I want to stay injury free so that I’m fit for the start of the season. I want to be starting as many games as possible.