Marco Reus ambles into the room with his goofy grin and amiable chit-chat belying his increasingly imposing reputation in European football. He ruffles his shock of skewed blonde hair, looking like he's just rolled out of bed at four in the afternoon, and shrugs shyly when remembering the latest two goals he scored for Germany in last week's predictable 4-1 cruise against Kazakhstan as they established an eight-point lead at the head of their World Cup qualifying group. Germany's two other goals were tucked away by Mario Götze and Ilkay Gündogan, Reus's team-mates at Borussia Dortmund – a fact overshadowed by Joachim Löw's decision to choose a formation without a conventional striker.
Yet the sheer drive, speed and technique of Reus, allied to a sumptuous partnership with Götze, are supplemented by his knack for scoring regularly from both open play and dead-ball strikes. It's obvious why Löw, in his desire to field an enviable trio of Reus, Götze and Mesut Ozil, is keen to experiment. Reus has emerged as, arguably, the best player in this extraordinarily talented group of young German footballers who may have the ability and belief to win the World Cup next year.
This week, with Bayern Munich and Dortmund playing in the Champions League quarter-finals, Reus and his counterparts will add more experience to their promise. Reus pops a few grapes into his mouth and sinks the first of many sachets of fruit juice while talking exuberantly at Puma's offices. Dortmund's Signal Iduna Park, or the great old Westfalenstadion as most fans still call it, glints in the sunshine of an icy spring day.
Looking across at a stadium he loves, Reus believes his club and national team are on the brink of some enduring achievements. He nods at a reminder that Roberto Mancini and José Mourinho have suggested Dortmund could surprise many by winning the Champions League in May. Real Madrid and Manchester City finished adrift of them in the toughest group – and so Reus is optimistic. "Yes, of course we could win it," he says in German while demolishing another grape. "I believe we can do it because we have done well to come this far. Malaga are next [with Dortmund playing in Spain ] and at this stage of the Champions League you have the ability to win it. Everything feels possible now. But Malaga are a good side. Small things will decide the outcome but we can definitely go much further.
"In all our Champions League matches so far we deserved to win because we forced our opponents to play our game. Obviously a team like Madrid has many world-class players and so they're hard to beat. But our pressing style causes a lot of problems for every team – even Real."
Reus cites the compelling way in which Dortmund's manager, Jürgen Klopp, who has transformed the club since arriving from Mainz 05 in 2008, concentrates on that pressing technique in training. Dortmund have become tenaciously adept at winning back possession soon after conceding it and then attacking with quick passing and movement. Pep Guardiola apparently believes Dortmund have been the most entertaining team to watch this season in Europe – and the former Barcelona manager is clearly paying close attention before taking over at Bayern Munich.
Yet Bayern are 20 points clear of Dortmund, who are second in the Bundesliga, and they and Barcelona are still favoured to win the Champions League. Reus lets slip a rueful "Yeah!" when asked if he watched Barca's 4-0 demolition of Milan, after they had lost the first leg. "You could see that Milan really pissed off Barcelona. That's the truth in plain football language. They caused a lot of problems for Barça. But then people started saying that Barcelona are in crisis – which is ridiculous. Barcelona were at their best in the second leg. Of course they have [Lionel] Messi and he just has to make one great move and have a huge impact. But it was encouraging for us because Milan proved it is possible to frustrate them. It is possible to beat Barcelona." (이부분에서 뭔가 로이스답다 느꼈다. 역시 바르샤!가 결론이 아니라 밀란을 보고 자극을 받았다가 결론.)
Klopp suggested at the start of this campaign that, after disappointment last year, Dortmund could win the Champions League. He has since conceded that, as a consequence of this grander ambition, their domestic form has suffered. Reus, meanwhile, blames a lack of concentration in the Bundesliga. "We've been making individual mistakes and they've been punished. But the quality of the Bundesliga is rising and every so-called small opponent can be dangerous. Little mistakes are happening because we're not always completely concentrated. It's different in the Champions League. We are really switched on. But we're still a very young team and will improve."
English clubs, in contrast, are floundering. Reus shakes his head as he switches to English. "I don't know why. I'm surprised." Then, reverting to German as he considers the expensively-assembled English champions, he says: "Manchester City won the Premier League and then performed quite poorly in the Champions League. But the Premier League is very strong and I'm surprised no English team made it further."
It seems less strange when remembering the vibrant health of German football, with fans having such a sense of involvement in the Bundesliga, where tickets are cheap and clubs are often part-owned by their supporters. There also appears to be a more coherent sense of identity at a club like Dortmund. Apart from being backed by some of the most passionate fans in Europe, who fill the Westfalenstadion with over 80,000 supporters, they are driven forward by young German players – epitomised by Reus, who is thrilled to be playing for his hometown club. Away to City, Dortmund featured seven Germans in their team while Joe Hart was the only English player who started for the Premier League champions.
Reus hesitates when asked if this might have been a contributory factor in Dortmund's success against City. "They have a strong squad," he says, "and there are many multinational teams. But there's no doubt the key to success is team spirit and knowing each other very well. We have that at Dortmund. Everybody is there for each other. We run a lot and push our own boundaries because we believe in Dortmund."
As a boy Reus used to stand among the 24,500 ardent Dortmund fans who make up the formidable Yellow Wall of support in their south stand. Reus was then a member of Dortmund's youth academy and, he says, "went to games with Kevin Grosskreutz [his current team-mate]. I was a big fan on the Yellow Wall but Grosskreutz was even more passionate."
He was hurt, however, by Dortmund. Undermined by suspicions that he was too brittle to succeed at the highest level, Reus made a difficult choice. "It was very painful for me to leave‚ " he says, a shadow crossing his face as he remembers his departure from Dortmund at 15. "When you play your whole youth career at one club you want to make the next step – especially when you support the team. But it didn't work out for me. I wasn't happy because I didn't get to play much for the youth team. So me and my father decided I needed to move [to Ahlen in the third division]. It was a tough choice. Do I stay here with my beloved Dortmund or do I go elsewhere to play and get practical experience? That's why I went – and it paid off."
In returning to Dortmund did Reus also make a statement to puncture the usual assumption that Bayern sign all the best players in Germany? "Hmmm," he hums with a smile. "It's hard to say if it was a statement. I just felt this is the best-supported team with players who work well together under a great coach. Players don't come and go as often as they do at Bayern. It's the same with the manager. I felt there would be more stability and consistency here. It was the best place for me, and I was coming home."
At 23, Reus is three years older than Götze, who has been at Dortmund since the age of nine. Götze has long been proclaimed as the greatest young talent in German football. Reus now stands alongside him and, at Dortmund, they have developed a riveting understanding. Franz Beckenbauer claims that they are the best midfield partnership in world football.
"It's strange how me and Mario understand each other so instinctively," Reus says. "At the start of the season we needed some time but now, without looking, we know where the other one is and where we should run to make or receive a pass. But there's still room for improvement and I'm happy to do lots of running for everyone here."
In explaining his dynamic style of play, Reus reveals that: "My idol was always Tomas Rosicky [who played at Dortmund for five years before joining Arsenal in 2006]. He used to be phenomenal. He had such a good eye for an opening and knew where his team-mates were, and he was so quick. Rosicky had great technique and was so intelligent and mature even though he was still young at Dortmund. I copied everything about him – right down to his sweatbands. He was so unlucky he had bad injuries at Arsenal because, otherwise, he would be one of the world's best players." (도르트문트 시절 로사래 도르트문트 시절...그뒤론 부상으로 허덕인게 안타깝고 ㅇㅇ)
Has Reus seen much of Jack Wilshere? The young German nods vigorously and his eyes open wide. "A perfect player," he says. Reus leans forward, across the table, and switches to conspiratorial English. "Boy, he's fucking good," he says of Wilshere. "He's so quick and skilful with the ball at his feet."
A few second later, Reus breaks into a whoop. "Hey, hey!" he shouts out as Götze arrives. The Dortmund boys embrace and Reus is soon off on a jag about how he loves playing table tennis, with his only regret being that Götze usually beats him.
There will be more serious competition as the moneyed clubs of Europe hover over Reus and Götze. Last week there were suggestions from Götze that he might consider moving to Manchester United while, each month, there are new rumours about Reus. Manchester City and, a few days ago, Chelsea were said to be "preparing bids" of £35m for Reus.
"Chelsea too?" Reus says in surprise. "Really? But the press is often wrong so why worry about it?"
Would he consider a move to the Premier League? "You should never say never. But I have a valid [five-year] contract with a team I love. We have plans to win trophies here. I also love the city because everyone is so passionate about football."
Reus, with his beloved yellow-and-blacks, has a more immediate English-based objective. Reminded that the Champions League final will be held at Wembley, he grins helplessly. "I've never played in London before. That would not be a bad way to start a game in London – with a Champions League final."
Reus pauses and then, switching into English one last time, he says, simply: "I hope … I hope that happens."
로이스 가디언 인터뷰..원문 그대로 복사 ㅋ.ㅋ
도르트문트에서 축구하는걸 얼마나 즐거워하고, 평온하게 느끼는지 잘 나타난 인터뷰 >.<
그나저나 인터뷰와 별개로, 말라가 원정 심히 걱정스럽다. 코뼈가 깨진 슈멜레에 벤더, 피스첵, 케빈, 로이스, 사힌, 귄도간, 산타나까지 지난 경기 후유증이 있다고 함. 물론 뭐 심각한 부상은 없는 듯 싶지만 이게 뭔 난리여 -_- 그래도 슈멜레는 마스크 착용을 하고, 부상으로 한주 쉬었던 쿠바까지 복귀를 해서 마츠 빼고 다 합류하는 듯.