Frans Krätzig interview: Proud to be one of those players

FC Bayern's Frans Krätzig is currently on loan at VfB Stuttgart - but he can't quite tear himself away from Munich at the moment. Before he takes on his hometown club in the Bundesliga in the matchday's standout fixture on Saturday (18:30 CEST), the 21-year-old spent the last few days at the FCB training grounds on Säbener Straße with the Germany U21 side preparing for the crucial qualifiers for the 2025 European Championship. And they were successful! The DFB youngsters booked their ticket for the tournament ahead of schedule with a 2-1 win against Bulgaria. fcbayern.com spoke to the left-back about his stay in Munich, looking forward to the tasks ahead and the young talents at the FC Bayern Campus.

Frans Krätzig - the interview

Hello Frans! First of all, congratulations on qualifying for the European Championship! Does that give you a little extra motivation for this season, because you really want to be at next year's tournament?
Krätzig: "We're delighted to have qualified. Our goal was to finish first in the group. To have achieved that before the last matchday is something special. Now we're going to give it our all to earn a place in the tournament. We want to show what we can do. We want to prepare well so that hopefully something big happens in the summer.“

You prepared with the U21s at the FC Bayern training grounds. What was it like to come home again?
"It was very nice to be back at Säbener Straße in Munich. I caught up with a lot of people again. The conditions here are also fantastic."

It was no coincidence that U21 coach Antonio di Salvo let you train at Säbener Straße. Did that give the team an extra boost?
"Of course, we're professionals and have already trained on many training pitches or in different stadiums. But I also heard one or two people in the team say that it was something special. I can imagine that there was perhaps a sense of awe among some of them and that it was something different to - without wanting to sound disrespectful - training in a sports centre somewhere in the Munich area, for example."

As a local, did you also come up with the right supporting programme for your teamates at the hotel? You just missed the Oktoberfest, for example.
"Of course, Munich has a lot to offer. We went for a coffee and also made the most of an afternoon to grab some fresh air. Everyone was there and it was great fun. But it was actually quite a good thing that we missed the Oktoberfest so we could concentrate on football. You could see it from the result, we qualified without a hitch."

After the international break, the next highlight's coming up in Munich - the clash with VfB Stuttgart at FC Bayern. Are you already fired up for the game?
"I'm really looking forward to it, as it's something like a clash between my home clubs. When we get back together after the international break, we want to achieve a lot with Stuttgart. That will be very difficult in Munich, but with so many internationals at VfB, we're also going into the game with a lot of confidence. We want to show what we're capable of at the Allianz Arena on Saturday."

How have you settled in at Stuttgart?
"It's very familial here, I've got to know some cool people. We also have a coach who has a clear philosophy and a good team that knows how to implement it. Of course, that also makes it difficult to prove yourself there. But I wanted to take on this challenge."

Is it an advantage that Sebastian Hoeneß, your coach at VfB, also has a past at the FC Bayern Campus and is familiar with how training is organised there?
"I didn't play directly under him on campus. But of course we often ran across each other, as I boarded there. He certainly also knew me through his discussions with the coaches. FC Bayern has a high standing and you certainly know what you can expect from the players who have been trained there at the youth performance centre. But ultimately I have to impress him now at Stuttgart."

You've made three competitive appearances for VfB this season. How satisfied are you with your record so far?
"It's everything I imagined it would be. Of course, I have to keep working hard to get my playing time. It won't come by itself, I have to keep at it. But I'm very happy with my early days here."

You have a high-profile rival in your position in the shape of Germany international Maximilian Mittelstädt. What's your relationship like?
"We get on well. It's important to have a relationship where I can look up to him and learn a lot - but he also knows he can always rely on me. We still have a lot of games left, so I hope I'll get my chances to play."

We all remember your FC Bayern Goal of the Month against Liverpool - so your attacking qualities are well known. Have you finally settled into the left-back position?
"I play wherever the coach puts me. In Stuttgart, I'm primarily earmarked for left-back, so I'm focusing fully on the left-back position at the moment. But I also feel comfortable in other positions. I benefit from the fact that I've already played in other positions. Football is fast-moving, you never know what's going to happen." 

Armindo Sieb, Paul Wanner and Co. - in addition to yourself, other FCB youngsters are currently drawing attention to themselves on loan. How do you rate the work done at the Campus?
"If you look at the Bundesliga or even abroad, the Campus has recently produced some good players. I think the Campus needed a bit of time. You couldn't expect talent to emerge immediately after it was built in 2017. It also had to develop a bit, and the players also needed time to develop. But there are some players with whom I boarded who are now playing at the highest level. You can now see that it's bearing fruit. It also makes me proud to be one of those players."

© Photos: Deutscher Fußball-Bund; Imago

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