Ömer Toprak on the table and the international break

…his current fitness level: “At the beginning of the season, I wasn’t able to take part in every training session and play every game, but I’m able to play in midweek fixtures and at the weekend now. That’s a very good sign and shows just how much my fitness level has improved over the course of the season. It’s a step-by-step process but the last steps are the most difficult. I’m continuing to work hard on making sure my fitness stays stable so that I’m always in a position to help the team.”

…the Bundesliga table: “We’re well aware of the way that things stand, but we also know that things can change quickly. Our priority is picking up as many points as possible and not giving anything away. Other teams’ results are not interesting for us, we need to focus on our own game. The team are all concentrating on that. We’re always looking to get better, which means we cannot take our foot off the gas. We have to keep up our focus.”

…the changes to hygiene regulations: “We’re always sticking to the rules. If the health authorities tell us we need to have a training camp, then we’ll do it. One thing we learned during the Corona period is that we have to be spontaneous and flexible.”

…upcoming opponents VfB Stuttgart: “VfB are having a good season. They have some good technical players as well as some quick ones. Week by week they are performing well. It’ll be a tough game for sure, especially because the heavy defeat in Munich will have annoyed them a lot. We have to show our best.”