Daniel Frahn climbed from the Regionalliga up to the Bundesliga 2 as captain of RB Leipzig. On Tuesday, 26th October (18:30 CET kick-off), the SV Babelsberg 03 player will meet his former club, now a Champions League side, in the second round of the DFB-Pokal. Frahn spoke about the tie in an interview with DFB.de.
DFB.de: What was the first thing that went through your head when you were drawn against RB Leipzig for the second round, Mr. Frahn?
Daniel Frahn: I was chuffed – this was my dream draw. For me, this is much better than playing against Bayern München or BVB for example. My past with Leipzig means this encounter was almost meant to, especially as I probably won’t have too many more opportunities to play against RBL in a competitive game. So yeah, I am really looking forward to it.
DFB.de: You played for Leipzig from 2010 until 2015, enjoying promotion from the Regionalliga into the second division. Who are you still in touch with?
Frahn: Due to the club’s rapid development, there aren’t that many acquaintances of mine still there. I’m regularly in touch with Yussuf Poulsen – he, Emil Forsberg and Lukas Klostermann are the three players in the current squad who I played with in my time there. All three are internationals, which speaks volumes. There’s also the team doctor Frank Striegler and financial director Ulrich Wolter who I know from my time. I’m looking forward to a reunion.
DFB.de: Are you having to make a lot of ticket wishes come true for the game at the Karl-Liebknecht-Stadion?
Frahn: That’s an understatement. There’s around 50 to 60 tickets on my desk at the moment. It feels like everyone I know in Potsdam wants to be at the game, it could easily have been a few more. (laughs)
DFB.de: When you came to Leipzig in 2010, the club was just one year old and had just been promoted from the Oberliga to the Regionalliga. Was it clear to see back then what kind of development RB Leipzig would take – all the way to being a Champions League regular?
Frahn: It was the big goal back then to get the club to the top level domestically – and a lot was invested to achieve that. So it’s not a surprise to me, and it could certainly be seen coming no later than when sporting director Ralf Rangnick and coach Alexander Zorniger were appointed in the Regionalliga days. Getting to the semi-finals of the Champions League so soon, however, I don’t think even the representatives at the time would have believed was possible. It’s an extraordinary journey and a wonderful achievement for the club, the fans, the city and the region.
DFB.de: For many years, you were a goal-getter, a key player and a captain – you played a major role in the two promotions. Looking back, how big a part did you play in the club’s development, would you say?
Frahn: That’s difficult to say, I’d prefer others to assess that. Sure, I scored the odd goal or two, and there were a few important ones that contributed to the promotions. So in that respect, I played a certain small part in the success of the club, no more or less than that. RB Leipzig would most-likely be in the Champions League now even without me.
DFB.de: Any particularly fond memories?
Frahn: Definitely the two promotions – the game that confirmed our jump from the Regionalliga to the 3. Liga – a 2-2 draw after extra time with Sportfreunde Lotte – was an absolute rollercoaster of emotions. We had missed out on promotion twice before that, so it was a huge relief and a starting point for more success. That was really special. Our cup game against Wolfsburg as a Regionalliga side – a 3-2 win where I scored all three goals in the first half – that’s another one I’ll never forget.
DFB.de: You also went down in club and 3. Liga history with a goal after 8.6 seconds. Was that really the plan?
Frahn: Yeah, it actually was. Our coach Alexander Zorniger had us working on this manoeuvre for a while. Eight players go full sprint ahead from kick-off. A big kick was flicked on by a head and squared by Matthias Morys so that I just had to tap it in with my head. We tried that a lot when we had kick-off. That was the only time we ever scored from it though. The fact that I was able to set a new record, one that’s not going to be easy to beat, is obviously cool.
DFB.de: When you were starting out at Leipzig, SV Babelsberg 03 were in the same division as RBL. Now there are leagues apart.
Frahn: Absolutely. It was clear from when RB Leipzig was founded, however, that they had bigger ambitions than SV Babelsberg 03. So it’s no surprise and it’s fully understandable where the clubs are at now. Nevertheless, the progress made at Babelsberg has been very positive as well. If we build on it, then it might even be possible to return to professional football in a few years.
DFB.de: In the first round of the DFB-Pokal you knocked out a Bundesliga club on penalties when you beat SpVgg Greuther Fürth. What was the deciding factor in that game?
Frahn: It was the unbelievable desire shown by our team and the excitement and support of our fans in the stadium. Although at the time only 3000 spectators were allowed in, to the players the atmosphere felt like a sold-out Karl-Liebknecht-Stadion. It’s something I have experienced very few times before. On top of that we had the luck that a fourth tier side always needs to upset a Bundesliga team.
DFB.de: Could a similar strategy also work against RB Leipzig?
Frahn: Why not? We definitely won’t roll over and we will do everything we can to make things as difficult as possible for Leipzig. I’m sure our fans will also give everything to help us.
DFB.de: How likely do you think an upset is?
Frahn: We have to be realistic, so maybe five to ten percent.
DFB.de: What has to happen to achieve the sensational?
Frahn: It’s a given that Leipzig have significantly more quality than us, so we have to try to disrupt them by being aggressive and strong in one-on-one situations. Maybe we also need a bit more luck than we did against Fürth. However, sensational results in the cup always seem to be a possibility.
DFB.de: In the Regionalliga Nordost, SV Babelsberg 03 are keeping pace with the teams at the top of the table. With this in the background, what is the significance of the DFB-Pokal?
Frahn: The league is what we focus on day-to-day and it is extremely important for us. We have achieved stability and picked up points, and if we continue like that then maybe we’ll be able to fight for the top places in two or three years. At the moment there are other clubs in the league that have a better chance at promotion, however and the DFB-Pokal offers a chance that you don’t get many times in a lifetime, i.e. playing a top team like RB Leipzig in the second round. For that reason, the game has a special significance not just for me but for everyone involved.
DFB.de: When your contract runs out next summer, you will be 35 years old. Do you expect to carry on?
Frahn: I hope so! Physically I am still in really good shape and I also score a goal now and again. (he laughs) It’s a lot of fun to be out there on the pitch with the lads and to share a dressing room with them. I still have too much passion in me and too much ambition to start thinking about ending my career. If my body can no longer keep up or I realise that I have lost the will to play, that’s when it will be over. Right now that moment is still far off.
DFB.de: Nevertheless, you are already thinking about life after football, correct?
Frahn: That’s true, and at my age it’s normal. We have been running an ice-cream shop in Leipzig for a while, and thankfully it managed to survive the effects of the Corona pandemic. I have recently got my B-licence as a coach and am looking at the DFB elite youth coaching licence as the next step. I’m currently coaching the U13s at SV Babelsberg 03 which is my first experience as a coach, and watching the guys develop brings me a lot of joy.
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Daniel Frahn climbed from the Regionalliga up to the Bundesliga 2 as captain of RB Leipzig. On Tuesday, 26th October (18:30 CET kick-off), the SV Babelsberg 03 player will meet his former club, now a Champions League side, in the second round of the DFB-Pokal. Frahn spoke about the tie in an interview with DFB.de.
DFB.de: What was the first thing that went through your head when you were drawn against RB Leipzig for the second round, Mr. Frahn?
Daniel Frahn: I was chuffed – this was my dream draw. For me, this is much better than playing against Bayern München or BVB for example. My past with Leipzig means this encounter was almost meant to, especially as I probably won’t have too many more opportunities to play against RBL in a competitive game. So yeah, I am really looking forward to it.
DFB.de: You played for Leipzig from 2010 until 2015, enjoying promotion from the Regionalliga into the second division. Who are you still in touch with?
Frahn: Due to the club’s rapid development, there aren’t that many acquaintances of mine still there. I’m regularly in touch with Yussuf Poulsen – he, Emil Forsberg and Lukas Klostermann are the three players in the current squad who I played with in my time there. All three are internationals, which speaks volumes. There’s also the team doctor Frank Striegler and financial director Ulrich Wolter who I know from my time. I’m looking forward to a reunion.
DFB.de: Are you having to make a lot of ticket wishes come true for the game at the Karl-Liebknecht-Stadion?
Frahn: That’s an understatement. There’s around 50 to 60 tickets on my desk at the moment. It feels like everyone I know in Potsdam wants to be at the game, it could easily have been a few more. (laughs)
DFB.de: When you came to Leipzig in 2010, the club was just one year old and had just been promoted from the Oberliga to the Regionalliga. Was it clear to see back then what kind of development RB Leipzig would take – all the way to being a Champions League regular?
Frahn: It was the big goal back then to get the club to the top level domestically – and a lot was invested to achieve that. So it’s not a surprise to me, and it could certainly be seen coming no later than when sporting director Ralf Rangnick and coach Alexander Zorniger were appointed in the Regionalliga days. Getting to the semi-finals of the Champions League so soon, however, I don’t think even the representatives at the time would have believed was possible. It’s an extraordinary journey and a wonderful achievement for the club, the fans, the city and the region.
DFB.de: For many years, you were a goal-getter, a key player and a captain – you played a major role in the two promotions. Looking back, how big a part did you play in the club’s development, would you say?
Frahn: That’s difficult to say, I’d prefer others to assess that. Sure, I scored the odd goal or two, and there were a few important ones that contributed to the promotions. So in that respect, I played a certain small part in the success of the club, no more or less than that. RB Leipzig would most-likely be in the Champions League now even without me.
DFB.de: Any particularly fond memories?
Frahn: Definitely the two promotions – the game that confirmed our jump from the Regionalliga to the 3. Liga – a 2-2 draw after extra time with Sportfreunde Lotte – was an absolute rollercoaster of emotions. We had missed out on promotion twice before that, so it was a huge relief and a starting point for more success. That was really special. Our cup game against Wolfsburg as a Regionalliga side – a 3-2 win where I scored all three goals in the first half – that’s another one I’ll never forget.
DFB.de: You also went down in club and 3. Liga history with a goal after 8.6 seconds. Was that really the plan?
Frahn: Yeah, it actually was. Our coach Alexander Zorniger had us working on this manoeuvre for a while. Eight players go full sprint ahead from kick-off. A big kick was flicked on by a head and squared by Matthias Morys so that I just had to tap it in with my head. We tried that a lot when we had kick-off. That was the only time we ever scored from it though. The fact that I was able to set a new record, one that’s not going to be easy to beat, is obviously cool.
DFB.de: When you were starting out at Leipzig, SV Babelsberg 03 were in the same division as RBL. Now there are leagues apart.
Frahn: Absolutely. It was clear from when RB Leipzig was founded, however, that they had bigger ambitions than SV Babelsberg 03. So it’s no surprise and it’s fully understandable where the clubs are at now. Nevertheless, the progress made at Babelsberg has been very positive as well. If we build on it, then it might even be possible to return to professional football in a few years.
DFB.de: In the first round of the DFB-Pokal you knocked out a Bundesliga club on penalties when you beat SpVgg Greuther Fürth. What was the deciding factor in that game?
Frahn: It was the unbelievable desire shown by our team and the excitement and support of our fans in the stadium. Although at the time only 3000 spectators were allowed in, to the players the atmosphere felt like a sold-out Karl-Liebknecht-Stadion. It’s something I have experienced very few times before. On top of that we had the luck that a fourth tier side always needs to upset a Bundesliga team.
DFB.de: Could a similar strategy also work against RB Leipzig?
Frahn: Why not? We definitely won’t roll over and we will do everything we can to make things as difficult as possible for Leipzig. I’m sure our fans will also give everything to help us.
DFB.de: How likely do you think an upset is?
Frahn: We have to be realistic, so maybe five to ten percent.
DFB.de: What has to happen to achieve the sensational?
Frahn: It’s a given that Leipzig have significantly more quality than us, so we have to try to disrupt them by being aggressive and strong in one-on-one situations. Maybe we also need a bit more luck than we did against Fürth. However, sensational results in the cup always seem to be a possibility.
DFB.de: In the Regionalliga Nordost, SV Babelsberg 03 are keeping pace with the teams at the top of the table. With this in the background, what is the significance of the DFB-Pokal?
Frahn: The league is what we focus on day-to-day and it is extremely important for us. We have achieved stability and picked up points, and if we continue like that then maybe we’ll be able to fight for the top places in two or three years. At the moment there are other clubs in the league that have a better chance at promotion, however and the DFB-Pokal offers a chance that you don’t get many times in a lifetime, i.e. playing a top team like RB Leipzig in the second round. For that reason, the game has a special significance not just for me but for everyone involved.
DFB.de: When your contract runs out next summer, you will be 35 years old. Do you expect to carry on?
Frahn: I hope so! Physically I am still in really good shape and I also score a goal now and again. (he laughs) It’s a lot of fun to be out there on the pitch with the lads and to share a dressing room with them. I still have too much passion in me and too much ambition to start thinking about ending my career. If my body can no longer keep up or I realise that I have lost the will to play, that’s when it will be over. Right now that moment is still far off.
DFB.de: Nevertheless, you are already thinking about life after football, correct?
Frahn: That’s true, and at my age it’s normal. We have been running an ice-cream shop in Leipzig for a while, and thankfully it managed to survive the effects of the Corona pandemic. I have recently got my B-licence as a coach and am looking at the DFB elite youth coaching licence as the next step. I’m currently coaching the U13s at SV Babelsberg 03 which is my first experience as a coach, and watching the guys develop brings me a lot of joy.
