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Blick: Marwin Hitz, the new season starts in 10 days. Where is the FCB?
Marvin Hitz: Hard to say. Tactically we are certainly further than last year around the same time. The physical is hard to judge. But we have a good fitness trainer and there are numbers and values in this area that provide clarity.
After the many departures and arrivals, the team gets a different face. Does that make you nervous?
Not nervous. But of course something has to grow together again. We have now properly replaced the exits. No one has left who cannot be replaced. And the three new ones are a step further than our new one a year ago.
Andi Zeqiri is already gone in the storm, with Darian Males the buy option was not exercised. There is also a good chance that Zeki Amdouni will leave the club.
With Thierno Barry we brought in a hopeful striker who is eager to learn and of stature. As far as I know, the club is still negotiating with Darian. Of course, if Zeki were to leave, the club would have to react.
Is there any chance he will stay anyway?
He’s still under contract. In the end, it all comes down to the sum. I hope he is well advised because I feel that another year with us would do him good and that he could take an even bigger step after that. It usually pays to be patient. But no doubt, he has great facilities.
Who will replace Andy Diouf?
Andy was a key player towards the end of the season. But he’s not one to guarantee you 12 goals and 15 assists. That the club made this transfer was certainly reasonable. You cannot replace it one-on-one, but we are looking for a solution internally.
What is your impression of the new coach?
He is very hardworking and has a good view. But we have already made a lot of progress under Heiko Vogel, even though we were not always able to show that in the competition due to the high pressure. After a coach change everyone wakes up, every player feels his chance. But the exciting phase will only come in a few weeks, when the first trends emerge.
As a veteran, what role do you play in the team, especially if one or the other is dissatisfied?
My role will certainly be different after a year. When I arrived I wanted to take a step back, observe first and see how the club works and what I can ask from my teammates. Maybe sometimes I expected too much and I had to realize that a player just can’t live up to that. Because football in the Bundesliga is different. I am not a speaker, but I try to contribute my experience in a calm tone and privately.
Did the narrow failure against Fiorentina bother you for a long time?
It definitely took a few days longer than usual. And on the day of the final, it all came up again. Nevertheless, it was a great success that ultimately missed the icing on the cake.
In the championship they only finished 5th, which FC Basel can hardly claim.
For me, the competition is the most important thing – and I have emphasized that several times. Much of the season in the league was fraught with frustration and only a few good moments. I had hoped we were closer to YB. We didn’t stand a chance in the direct encounters, but there was a difference. You can’t make up the 30-point difference in six weeks, but we have to be better than last year and we owe that to the environment. We have a top audience and we have to make sure that our games in the league are also a party and that we can generate euphoria.
What do you think would be a good season?
We must be very humble. We are certainly further than last season, but it is difficult to say how far it will go. But I’m sure it will get better.
There is always something going on at FCB and the club also gets the most headlines. How do you deal with that?
Of course everything is a step smaller than what I experienced in Dortmund. But FCB is the most exciting club in Switzerland and that is also the reason why I took the step a year ago, although I would have had the chance to stay abroad longer. Switzerland is a beautiful country, especially with families and children, with a good school system that you appreciate even more after 14 years abroad.
Have you never been drawn to a destination abroad other than the Bundesliga?
My biggest dream would have been Italy because of the country and the league. I have also had offers, especially when I had a free transfer. But then came the offer from Dortmund.
Your criticism of the referees caused a stir towards the end of last season. Was there a debate? Referee boss Wermelinger also offered you and Heiko Vogel to referee an amateur match during the summer break.
No. I’m not a referee, I’m a football player. I didn’t want to personally attack anyone at the time, I just didn’t think the performance was good enough. Nor am I claiming that I could do better. It is clear to me that sometimes the referees are on the limit and actually like to do their job. Good cooperation is all the more important. I found it much easier to communicate with the referees in Germany. Maybe I’ve started something with my statements, because I’m sure we’ll all be happy when things get better.
Source : Blick
I’m Emma Jack, a news website author at 24 News Reporters. I have been in the industry for over five years and it has been an incredible journey so far. I specialize in sports reporting and am highly knowledgeable about the latest trends and developments in this field.
