'I can't wait to play at the Allianz Arena'

The tall, tanned figure of Luca Toni, permanently topped by the broadest grin north of the Alps, is one of the reasons for the almost unprecedented excitement and interest surrounding Bayern these days. The 30-year-old, who has just resumed training after stretching a tendon in his right knee, is such a popular media personality that the club has been obliged to organise pool interviews to try and satisfy journalists' demands.

fcbayern.de called in at one of the question and answer sessions, hearing the Italian speak of his comeback, his new home town of Munich, traditional Bavarian Lederhosen, and his longing to play at the Allianz Arena.

Interview: Luca Toni

Question: How's your knee, Luca?
Toni: "A lot better. I have a doctor's appointment in the next couple of days. If that's OK, I'll be cleared to play again.“

Question: Will you be fit for the Bundesliga restart on 11 August?
Toni: "I'll give it my best shot. But we'll have to wait and see, and check how the knee reacts on a daily basis. I'm hoping I've put all the problems behind me.“

Question: The team has been developing as a unit during the period you've been injured. How have you coped with being forced to watch?
Toni: "It's definitely a bad situation for me. We've been successful as a team and already won a trophy, and I've not even played a single minute. It's just making me even more determined to get going.“

Question: And you can hardly wait for the Bundesliga to start?
Toni: "I'll be delighted when it finally starts for real, because you do less purely physical training. But I really can't wait to play at the Allianz Arena at last. I've been told the stadium's always full.“

Question: What could Bayern achieve this season?
Toni: "We have a great team. Obviously, the best outcome would be for us to win everything, but our priority is the Bundesliga. We'll have to see how far we can go in the UEFA Cup.“

Question: Have you set yourself a goalscoring target?
Toni: "I've never set myself any kind of targets, out of superstition or any other reason. I've always scored goals even when I haven't set targets, so I wasn't planning to start naming numbers now.“

Question: Have you at least found time to get to know the city?
Toni: "Yes, Munich is a great city, a green city with lots of wildlife. I love animals. I'm impressed by the city's monuments. And you can eat well in Munich too. I've tried a handful of restaurants: Japanese, Thai…“

Question: Have you and your partner Marta found somewhere to live yet?
Toni: "We've found a place in the city centre. My partner has plenty of work ahead of her, because she has to furnish the apartment. I'm training and she's picking furniture. It's basically not my thing.“

Question: And you already own Lederhosen?
Toni: "I've tried them on once. But to be frank: it would be a bit odd to wear nothing but Lederhosen. The entire squad visits the Oktoberfest in Lederhosen, and I won't have a problem with that.“

Question: How's the German coming along?
Toni: "(in German) My name is Luca. Hello. Excuse me… (in Italian) Otherwise I've just picked up a few swearwords, which I won't repeat here.“

Question: How do you communicate in the dressing room?
Toni: "It's easy with the French and the Argentine guys, because our languages are relatively similar. I'm speaking English to the German lads.“

Question: When will you take up a language course?
Toni: "At the moment, I'm training in the morning and the afternoon, and that doesn't honestly leave me with a burning desire to learn German as well. Physical fitness is my priority. As soon as I have time, I'll start on the German.“