Interview with new signing Katharina Piljic

How have your first weeks in Leverkusen been? How well have you settled in?

Piljić: I moved into my new flat on the day we started training so that was obviously a lot to deal with at once. But since then everything's gone relatively well and the team has been great to me. The atmosphere at out training camp in Poland was cool. I can have a lot of fun with the girls and everybody looks after each other really well.

How difficult was it for you to move away from your birth and hometown of Essen?

Piljić: I didn't really know anybody here in Leverkusen. So you have to make contact with people first. The fact so much was going on at the start meant I didn't have to think about it too much. Also I'm not that far away from Essen and I still have good contact with people back home.

Why did you decide to make the move to Leverkusen?

Piljić: I wanted to try something new but at the same time not be too far away from home. At Essen we trained in the afternoon and the evening but here it's mostly in the morning. That was a big change for me as I'm a great fan of breakfast. (She laughs) Now I have to eat something before training. Also it's a big advantage to have a weights room right next to the pitch if you want to do something for yourself after a session.

How would you describe yourself as a player?

Piljić: I'm more settled on the ball and not an aggressive player who tackles a lot. Nevertheless I do play with physicality. So it's a difficult mix to describe. (She laughs)

And what are you like off the pitch?

Piljić: In bigger groups I'm – as on the pitch – more reserved. But I can also be different depending on who I'm surrounded by. (She laughs)

You're only 20 but have already played 69 Bundesliga matches. What effect does that have on your approach on the pitch?

Piljić: When you play lots of games you also gain loads of experience subconsciously. But that doesn't necessarily give me more calm in certain situations in a game but it does before a match. Last season I really noticed I was rarely nervous before kick-off. It definitely makes a difference if you've played more than 50 games or just ten?

What do you think you and the team can achieve this season?

Piljić: I'd like to do more in attack but without neglecting my defensive duties. That fits in well because we want to press a lot and play on the front foot as a team. I'm convinced the team can do better than last season. On top of that, we want to go as far as we can in the DFB Pokal because you can achieve an awful lot in a few games.