'Listened to my gut' - New signing Valentina Mädl interviewed

Valentina, congratulations on a third Austrian championship! What does this success mean to you?

Mädl: "It's not something to be taken for granted, not for me or the club. The league in Austria has also become closer in that time and the quality has increased, which makes it even nicer that we sealed the title early. For me personally too, it's great to have won the league in all three years at St. Pölten."

Now it's onto Germany for you. We're very happy that you'll be playing in Leverkusen from next season! Why did you decide on this move?

Mädl: "It was clear early on to me that now is the right time for a change. The conversations with Achim [Feifel] and Roberto [Pätzold] were great from the start. I felt very comfortable and am convinced by the concept of relying heavily on young players. So, I listened to my guy and decided to make this move."

Describe to us briefly your playing style: what should fans expect from you and what are you like off the pitch?

Mädl: "I always give 100 percent and I communicate a lot in order to set up my team-mates or contribute goals myself. I generally place a lot of value on honesty and I'm a very open person, who's always up for a laugh and can fit in with a team well."

What are your objectives for the coming season?

Mädl: "First of all I want to manage to the move abroad well, settle into the team and be an asset to the side with my qualities. I want to play my part in ensuring that we can achieve a lot in the coming season, ideally by getting up into a European place."