Bayer 04 Leverkusen goalkeeper Bernd Leno has featured in many of Germany’s youth sides, and has now received his first call-up to the senior squad. In an interview DFB.de, Leno talks about his impressions of life in the squad, his ambitions and the atmosphere amongst the other keepers in the team.
DFB.de: Mr. Leno, your first stay with the Germany senior side is coming to an end. Have you spoken to goalkeeping coach Andreas Köpke yet? Has he been satisfied with your performances?
Bernd Leno: Not yet. We've obviously talked but there hasn't been an evaluation-type conversation – but I think we'll have that when everything is over.
DFB.de: We spoke with Köpke and talked about your performances. Would you like to know what he said?
Leno: Absolutely.
DFB.de: He was full of praise. He said you participated very well, but we’re certain that he will tell you that himself.
Leno: I'm happy to hear that. His feedback is very important to me.
DFB.de: How would you assess your first experience in Germany's goalkeeping team?
Leno: I felt that we got along great – both from a sporting point of view as well as on a personal level. The group with Manu [Manuel Neuer] and Marc [Marc-André ter Stegen] is a lot of fun to train with – there’s always a lot of talk around the relationship between Marc and myself, but it's simply not true that we have any quarrels. I think that Andy Köpke has also noticed in training that everything is fine between Marc and me.
DFB.de: You know ter Stegen well from shared times in Germany's youth teams, and now you've gotten to know Manuel Neuer. What was your impression of him?
Leno: Manu is a very pleasant guy – very calm and totally relaxed, but at the same time you notice that he is fully focussed in training. He is the world's best keeper and I tried to learn some things from him.
DFB.de: Do you find it difficult to acknowledge that there is a better keeper in the world? You're also playing very well at the moment after all...
Leno: He's earned himself that status. Obviously among athletes there is a sense of competition, but at the same time you have to accept that Manu is currently completely untouchable in his position.
DFB.de: What things were you able to learn from watching him?
Leno: His calmness, for example. He never panics on the ball. His composure is truly remarkable.
DFB.de: How else would you describe your first few days with the World Champions? Were you well received by the squad?
Leno: It was great. I felt comfortable immediately and I also know a lot of the players from my club or from previous youth teams. But it was great to get to know the entire staff, with all the coaches and caretakers.
DFB.de: How were you informed about your call-up to the squad? Who called you?
Leno: Andy Köpke called me on Thursday and told me that I was going to be included in the squad. I was obviously extremely excited to hear that. I've been hoping for this moment for quite a while, since Andy Köpke already said last year that I was in their thinking, and that I was being watched. It's fantastic that it all worked out now.
DFB.de: The final game of the European Championship qualifying campaign will take place tonight, as Germany host Georgia in Leipzig. What do you expect from the match?
Leno: I don't expect it to be an easy game for us. They will defend deep and try to close down the spaces. But it's obvious that we have more quality in our squad, and if we manage to play our game we shouldn't run into any problems.
DFB.de: You have no doubts that Germany will book their ticket for the European Championship in France?
Leno: I'm 100 percent certain that we will qualify.
DFB.de: And how certain are you that you will be part of the squad for the tournament?
Leno: We'll have to wait and see. My task here is to make the best possible impression of myself here and to put in some convincing performances during training. Then I have to keep playing consistently for my club. It'd be a dream to be there in France. I will do everything I can to make that dream a reality.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen goalkeeper Bernd Leno has featured in many of Germany’s youth sides, and has now received his first call-up to the senior squad. In an interview DFB.de, Leno talks about his impressions of life in the squad, his ambitions and the atmosphere amongst the other keepers in the team.
DFB.de: Mr. Leno, your first stay with the Germany senior side is coming to an end. Have you spoken to goalkeeping coach Andreas Köpke yet? Has he been satisfied with your performances?
Bernd Leno: Not yet. We've obviously talked but there hasn't been an evaluation-type conversation – but I think we'll have that when everything is over.
DFB.de: We spoke with Köpke and talked about your performances. Would you like to know what he said?
Leno: Absolutely.
DFB.de: He was full of praise. He said you participated very well, but we’re certain that he will tell you that himself.
Leno: I'm happy to hear that. His feedback is very important to me.
DFB.de: How would you assess your first experience in Germany's goalkeeping team?
Leno: I felt that we got along great – both from a sporting point of view as well as on a personal level. The group with Manu [Manuel Neuer] and Marc [Marc-André ter Stegen] is a lot of fun to train with – there’s always a lot of talk around the relationship between Marc and myself, but it's simply not true that we have any quarrels. I think that Andy Köpke has also noticed in training that everything is fine between Marc and me.
DFB.de: You know ter Stegen well from shared times in Germany's youth teams, and now you've gotten to know Manuel Neuer. What was your impression of him?
Leno: Manu is a very pleasant guy – very calm and totally relaxed, but at the same time you notice that he is fully focussed in training. He is the world's best keeper and I tried to learn some things from him.
DFB.de: Do you find it difficult to acknowledge that there is a better keeper in the world? You're also playing very well at the moment after all...
Leno: He's earned himself that status. Obviously among athletes there is a sense of competition, but at the same time you have to accept that Manu is currently completely untouchable in his position.
DFB.de: What things were you able to learn from watching him?
Leno: His calmness, for example. He never panics on the ball. His composure is truly remarkable.
DFB.de: How else would you describe your first few days with the World Champions? Were you well received by the squad?
Leno: It was great. I felt comfortable immediately and I also know a lot of the players from my club or from previous youth teams. But it was great to get to know the entire staff, with all the coaches and caretakers.
DFB.de: How were you informed about your call-up to the squad? Who called you?
Leno: Andy Köpke called me on Thursday and told me that I was going to be included in the squad. I was obviously extremely excited to hear that. I've been hoping for this moment for quite a while, since Andy Köpke already said last year that I was in their thinking, and that I was being watched. It's fantastic that it all worked out now.
DFB.de: The final game of the European Championship qualifying campaign will take place tonight, as Germany host Georgia in Leipzig. What do you expect from the match?
Leno: I don't expect it to be an easy game for us. They will defend deep and try to close down the spaces. But it's obvious that we have more quality in our squad, and if we manage to play our game we shouldn't run into any problems.
DFB.de: You have no doubts that Germany will book their ticket for the European Championship in France?
Leno: I'm 100 percent certain that we will qualify.
DFB.de: And how certain are you that you will be part of the squad for the tournament?
Leno: We'll have to wait and see. My task here is to make the best possible impression of myself here and to put in some convincing performances during training. Then I have to keep playing consistently for my club. It'd be a dream to be there in France. I will do everything I can to make that dream a reality.
