1 - Marc-Andre ter Ansplant

From Borussia Mönchengladbach to a team with Messi: We met with goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen in Barcelona.

The Passage de la Concepció is a place of rest. An oasis in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Barcelona. There you will find the restaurant Mordisco. Scuffed concrete floor, white tables, conservatory, open kitchen. It smells of fresh herbs and strong coffee. Marc-André ter Stegen walks through the glass door, sings a cheerful and accent-free "hola bon dia", smiles and impresses with a clear view and a firm handshake. The former Gladbacher is the number one goal in the FC Barcelona, ​​in the German national team, the 25-year-old has recently shown dazzling performances. The conversation with him proves that this can not be a coincidence. An interview about pride, the duel with Manuel Neuer, fear and the great happiness that he feels in his life.

Mr. ter Stegen, you live in the center of Barcelona. Do you get much of the Catalan independence effort?

Marc-André ter Stegen: Of course. I read a lot about it. On two of our matchdays, the upper part of the city was closed for a demonstration. Of course I see and feel how proud people are, that they are Catalans and want to be independent. I also see the people who want to stay part of Spain. But this thing is very complicated because it also has to do with feelings that go back a long way in history. Therefore, I can not and do not want to form a conclusive judgment.

Is the independence referendum a big topic in the team?

Ter Stegen: Of course we are dealing with it. We have some players coming from Catalonia. Everyone forms their opinion and everyone respects each other.

How did you experience the city after the terrorist attack on the Ramblas?

Ter Stegen: Speechless. In shock. It has been able to formally grab people's fear. The fear was great that something terrible could happen again. I myself felt really affected, because I live in the center and therefore was relatively close to it. You think about it and imagine what can happen if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time - that can not leave anybody cold. Children, fathers and mothers are viciously and viciously torn from their lives. That is stunned.

Have you been worried or anxious when walking through Barcelona?

Marc-André ter Stegen (r.) In conversation with Thomas Gassmann. Ter Stegen: One is often reminded when walking across the Ramblas and seeing people lighting candles or laying flowers. Of course, I'm thinking about it right now. One should keep in mind each day how happy one can be, that the family is healthy and that one is doing well personally.

And the fear...

Ter Stegen: It would be a mistake to show fear. The people who do such a terrible thing, you have to show that you can not take the freedom.

It was difficult for her to move from Gladbach to FC Barcelona three and a half years ago. They said you had been hiding somewhere in the winter for two weeks to make a decision. After all, you have dared to take the step. And quarreled. Why was that?

Ter Stegen: If at the beginning you do not get what you have imagined for yourself, the idea sometimes arises to change something.

In the first two years you had to fight for the number one with Claudio Bravo...

Ter Stegen: Yes. But at that time, I never seriously thought about leaving Barcelona.

But it was said that they would come back to the Bundesliga.

Ter Stegen: Both Claudio and I seem to have been thinking about what's going to happen. The club has signaled to me that he does not want to lose me and has positioned himself clearly. I have received a lot of appreciation.

Really never had the idea to throw up, to come back to Germany?

Ter Stegen: No. It was hard for me to stay in Barcelona, ​​to accelerate and to show the coach why I had to be the absolute number one.

This ambition should also motivate you to replace Manuel Neuer as number one in the national team. After all, there is no law that he stands before you?

Ter Stegen: You do not have to say much about Manuel Neuer. He deserves to be number one and has an impressive standing. He has worked out that and I respect that.

But is not it ultimately about performance?

Ter Stegen: Yes, it's about performance. At the moment he is injured, but when he stands on the court, he shows performance. But everyone has also seen that I have brought my achievements in the Confed Cup.

We have to check. Your goal must be to eventually inherit Manuel Neuer someday.

Ter Stegen: I concentrate on the next step. The next step is our game against Barcelona against Olympiacos Piraeus in the Champions League. Of course everyone wants to be number one in the German goal. But when you start thinking about eventualities, you are not focused and it can be done faster than you think. If you think two steps in advance, you forget what's important in the now. Coach Lucien Favre has already told me that in Gladbach. And he was lying and he is absolutely right.

Since Neuer is injured, you are the clear number one in the DFB team. That's surprising, because at the beginning of your international career, not everything went smoothly. Did you ever doubt your abilities?

Ter Stegen: If it were possible, I would reverse that I did not always look happy at the beginning of my national team career. But today I think: These were setbacks that brought me further. Mistakes are simply part of life, including a footballing experience. On the track they have made me stronger.

At present, Bernd Leno, with whom you have been competing for years, makes some mistakes. Do you feel sympathy or satisfaction?

Ter Stegen: I'm generally the guy who protects goalkeepers. There are balls that come to your gate, into which one can not empathize from the outside. Mistakes happen. We are not machines. There are ups and downs. Bernd is a great goalkeeper, and Kevin Trapp is also a great goalkeeper. We do not need to worry about this position in Germany.

In 2014 you moved from Gladbach to FC Barcelona. What was your feeling when you met Lionel Messi, Neymar or Iniesta for the first time in the cabin?

Ter Stegen (laughs) : I'm not looking for names.

You know how we mean that...

Ter Stegen: Footballers are all really good.

And human?

Ter Stegen: Family and very warm. It impressed me deeply, in spite of the size of the club, how natural everyone is. There is no one standing over the others who are making themselves bigger. It was interesting to see how normal everyone is.

Also Messi?

Ter Stegen (laughs) : Even Leo - that his life is not completely normal, is probably clear to everyone. When Leo shows up somewhere, hell is going on. I met him as a nice and good person. One to whom the family is important.

So you can just go for a beer with him?

Ter Stegen: Believe me, we have a great team. There's nobody I could talk bad about. The boys are relaxed, we have fun. On and off the pitch we understand each other very well.

You are 25 years old, playing at perhaps the best club in the world - there is nothing more.

Ter Stegen: That's what everyone works for. The interesting thing is that the club manages to repeat it every year. FC Barcelona wants to be top in every game. A weak game can cost the championship. That motivates one. You feed well, you prepare as well as you can, you go to training and you want to bring top performance. Sometimes it's just a few percent that can make all the difference. Only then will you be able to achieve everything.

Your contract has a transfer fee of 180 million euros. What did you think when they saw this crazy sum?

Ter Stegen: Of course, the buzz is unbelievable. Of course, those numbers that are best not written down do not make you dizzy. But these sums give the clubs the certainty that they can keep their players. Also, the players do not make the market - in the end, we have little influence on the sums that are paid.

Is it also a kind of appreciation for you?

Ter Stegen: Yes. If Barcelona wants to send me such a transfer fee into the contract, they signal that they do not want to let me go.

Do you also feel proud?

Ter Stegen: At the time I was proud to play for Borussia Mönchengladbach and for three and a half years I have been proud to be wearing the jersey of Barcelona. And I wear this jersey with absolute joy. I am proud to wear these colors. The slogan "More than just a club" is not an art product. This is not a marketing gag. It is actually lived that way, and every day. That's what I like about this club.

Could you imagine a return to the Bundesliga considering your wonderful story?

Ter Stegen: First of all, I have five years contract. I am here to celebrate success at Barca. But you never know what's coming.
Would not it make you want to return to your home club Gladbach at some point?

Ter Stegen: Borussia is my heart's club. But: Now I enjoy the time here.

How do you see the quality of the Spanish league compared to the Bundesliga?

Ter Stegen: Here is played a different football than in Germany, it is more emphasis on playful accents. Spanish clubs have been very successful internationally in recent years. In Germany, apart from Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, nobody is used to the double burden over many years. To be successful for a long time, one team needs a broad squad. But…

We are curious ...

Ter Stegen: The Bundesliga is totally balanced. Leipzig does not just go to Freiburg and says: Let's put it in your pocket.

Would a player like Leon Goretzka have the quality to play at FC Barcelona?

Ter Stegen: Leon is a fantastic player. I like him as a footballer and as a human. He has something in mind, he has outstanding footballing qualities. I have to say that he could also play for one of the top European clubs.

So to Barcelona!

Ter Stegen (laughs) : What I've seen of him in the national team is extraordinary and remarkable. I also think he will get better in the future. No matter who gets him at the end - maybe he stays with Schalke 04 - you can only congratulate this club.

Goretzka has changed his diet. They also deal a lot with this topic. Tell us what motivated you.

Ter Stegen: I had my blood taken to see which foods I can not tolerate or against which I have intolerance. This is a difficult but also an interesting topic. I've been trying to feed so well that it's good for my body.

They also travel a lot in the social media. Who puts in the pictures and writes the texts?

Ter Stegen: Me.

No ghostwriter?

Ter Stegen: No. I want to be authentic. I do not need to tell anyone what I do not really think. I'm just doing things that I'm 100 percent convinced about. Sometimes I have a few days break between posts because I have other things in my head that do not allow me to post. But I still try to stay tuned regularly.

There is a picture that shows you with a little boy who was seriously ill. Your T-shirt says, "Fight for Finn." What did that mean?

Ter Stegen: The boy was looking for a bone marrow donor in case he needed it. I came from Barcelona to Odenkirchen, a district of Mönchengladbach, and visited him in the hospital. I have played Memory with him, the boy has sprayed despite his bad pain an incredible motivation and zest for life. He did not show me his pain and he acted as if he had a cold. This power and this will impressed me unbelievably. At that moment you can feel what really counts in life!

There are also many shared photos on Instagram with Mario Götze. Do you have a special relationship with him?

Ter Stegen: We get along great. Finally, they played together in their youth and took some hurdles together. I'm happy when he comes back to the national team.

Do you think he will make the comeback after his hard time?

Ter Stegen: For him that was certainly no easy time. I hope that he is well now and that he is happy. I have the feeling that he is in good shape again.

Götze does not have a good public image despite his goal for the 2014 World Cup triumph. Why is that?

Ter Stegen: I do not know that and I can not explain it either. Image is what people want to see from the outside. Players just end up in a drawer, unfortunately that's the case. That's why I am in Barcelona without any ulterior motives, even in Barcelona. I always want to form my own opinion.

What are you doing in your spare time?

Ter Stegen: I like to go for a walk, walk around the city. I love to find small shops where you can find exceptionally good fruits and vegetables. And when I find a small cafe that makes special coffee, I'm happy.