David Raum: "We need players like him"

A new week of training gets underway!

RBL's players are fully focused on our next game, the huge clash against league leaders Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday (18:30 CET). Leipzig's fans once again had the opportunity to see their team up close and personal during the public training session on Tuesday morning.

After the session, left-back David Raum spoke to the media. We've compiled David's most important quotes below.
 

David Raum on...

...the loss against Eintracht Frankfurt

• "It obviously hurts to lose at home like that in the first game of the year. When we were analysing the game, we looked at things even more closely and spoke about things that will be important in the game against Bayer Leverkusen. It goes without saying that we prefer to do analysis after winning, but doing it after a defeat is just part of the job. We've looked back on the match, and now we're focusing on the big match at the weekend."
   

...Bayer Leverkusen's impressive form

• "If you looked at their squad and their coach before the start of the season, you'd have come to the conclusion that they're a really good side this year. That's why, to me, they're not dark horses.
  
  Leverkusen play nice football and tend to have a lot of possession. They stand out because of their quality on the ball, but they also gegenpress well. The way they play comes with a lot of risks. If we win the ball back at the right moments and counter quickly, we'll be able to create chances. We're the most dangerous counterattacking team in the league. That's why we want to hit them where it hurts and make them chase the game, since they're not used to that.
  
  We'll draw up a good plan for the match and try to make life difficult for them. We're aiming to dominate the game with our fans right behind us, as being on the ball allows us to play to some of our strengths. We want to get things done at home and beat Leverkusen."
   

David Raum on...

...making the most of chances

• "That's just how football is sometimes. You can see it with how Leverkusen are playing at the moment. They're on such a good winning streak that when things are going well, you tend to find a winner in extra time like they did. They deserved it, of course. We also tried time and again to get into the game against Eintracht and score a goal, but we didn't have the luck that you need sometimes on the day.
  
  Nevertheless, we're looking at it positively. We managed to create a lot of chances. Now, we've just got to work on converting those chances into goals again and get back in our groove. It's easier said than done, but we've got to ensure that we starting putting the ball in the back of the net again."
   

…conceding goals and Willi Orban's comeback

• “As a team, we’ve already discussed the fact that we haven’t kept a clean sheet for a while. For me as a defender, for us defenders as a whole, we see that as our responsibuility. Obviously, we have enough quality up front to score more than one goal every game. Even so, it remains our aim to keep a clean sheet. We strive for that in every game.
  
  It makes us very happy that Willi Orban is back again and not just because he’s a great guy. With his experience, he gives us a lot of security. Just the fact that he's back in training has made us feel good.”

...aims for the second half of the season and personal development

• “Unfortunately we didn’t finish off the first half of the season in the way we wanted. That being said, we’ve set goals for the second half  of the season – and they’re quite simple, too. We want to win every game. We have the quality. You saw that in the first half of the season. It's also clear that we can beat anyone, as long as we show bring all our quality to the table
  
  For my part, I’ll be putting in 110% to build on my performances from the first half of the season and improve further. I’m happy that now, after some teething problems in my first season, I’ve slowly managed to bring my A game. I’m happy that I’ve properly found my place here in Leipzig.
  
  We've got a very young squad - I’m one of the older ones and I'm only 25! As a result, I want to take on more responsibility and be one of the leading players on and off the pitch going forward.
   

David Raum on...

...Dani Olmo's comeback

• "When Dani is on the pitch, he always produces a bit of magic. He isn’t called “El Mago” for nothing. He’s a really cool guy on and off the pitch. He radiates confidence. We, his teammates, know you can always give the ball to Dani. He’s always got something up his sleeve and knows exactly what to do on the ball. You always expect him to do something special, so we’re really happy that he’s back on the field and able to help us.”
   

...new signing Eljif Elmas

• "Eljif is a really funny guy. I get on very well with him, he's a very nice guy to be around. It's taken no time at all for him to settle in. He’s a very straightforward guy – and he’s exactly the same on the pitch. He’s a big risk-taker, who always wants to have the ball at his feet and then does whatever he fancies with it. We need players like that. He also works really hard off the ball. We’re hoping for big things from him and we’ll be happy when he can show us what he’s got on the pitch."
   

...Xavi

• “The kid’s crazy – especially when it comes to football. He’s shown that despite all the hype around him he’s stayed humble, and I can’t imagine that being an easy task. He manages it really well. He’s one of the most ambitious players that I know. Whenever we lose, you can’t speak to him for a while. I like that in a person.
  
  I’m also hungry for success. I’m a very sore loser and I’m always fuming when we don't win. That's why I’m happy when I’m on the same team as him, including in training. He makes sure I can overlap down my side of the pitch. He cuts inside and keeps the ball under control. Simply put, he’s a player you want to play with. Xavi has a massive career ahead of him and I’m glad to have the chance to play on a team with him here.”
   

David Raum on...

...the home Euros this summer

• " Julian Nagelsmann let us all have a break over the winter. There wasn’t a lot of contact. Obviously, I was a little disappointed not to be named in the last training camp squad. I’d had a very good week in the build-up and scored the first brace of my career. That's why I'd been hoping to be involved again. I called Julian and he explained why I hadn't been called up. I was really happy that I was called up later on.
  
  I've accepted my role and want to continue impressing with good performances. I want to keep my foot on the gas at club level so Julian has no choice but to include me in the team. There's nothing more I can do about it. It would be a dream come true to play in my second major tournament."