RB Leipzig’s former Liverpool keeper is now rated
one of the best in the Bundesliga
“My dream as a young
boy was always to play
in a big league in front
of big crowds”
PETER GULACSI
Can RB Leipzig end the long
reign of Bayern Munich as
Bundesliga champions?
The way we played against
Bayern [0-0 away], the strongest
team in Germany, should give us courage. We
are doing well and we are a young side, a hungry
side. Experience is important in football but it’s
not everything. It’s always a question of small
details, about moments of magic or mistakes.
We have to minimise our mistakes and use our
talent, but it’s all open – and that is really great
after Bayern dominating for so many years. It is
exciting for fans.
Many pundits say you are currently the best
goalkeeper in the Bundesliga. How do you
react to that?
My dream as a young boy was always to play in
a big league in front of big crowds and to belong
to a club where I am really appreciated. It wasn’t
focused on one particular club. My big goal was
to be an important player and I am very happy
that, in Leipzig, I have found this club. I came
up from the second division with Leipzig and
I have had to make steps in my career, to keep
improving along with the team. People started
to recognise me last season really and I am very
glad if I am mentioned among the best keepers.
That’s a big compliment when you think of other
keepers like Manuel Neuer or Yann Sommer.
What impact has your coach, Julian
Nagelsmann, had at Leipzig?
He’s a very young but talented coach. He had
already showed his skills and his philosophy
at Hoffenheim. He saved them from relegation
and transformed them into a top-four team in
the Bundesliga. His ideas are really exciting for
the players. The big target is to reduce the gap
between us and the top teams like Bayern, and
so far we have done that. His philosophy is a bit
different. He wants a lot of control with the ball,
not just pressing and working against the ball.
With this mix, if we find the right balance we
can be really successful.Does that make him a mixture of Jurgen
Klopp and Pep Guardiola?
Yeah, we can say that, of course. We want to
keep the pressing and the counter-pressing,
which had already made us successful and
become a style of RB. But he was brought in
to give that extra which can transform us into a
top team. If we look at Liverpool’s improvement,
throughout the years they became a lot better
with the ball because you have to have control
over the game. It’s not enough just to press,
press, press and when you lose the ball press
again. You have to control the ball. I think Klopp
has stabilised Liverpool in that way in the past
18 months. They have a lot more ball possession.Are you a footballing keeper like Alisson at
Liverpool and Ederson at Manchester City?
I had to adapt to the new style. Last year we
were a lot more direct but now we try to play
out more. I am more involved in the game and
so far it has been working really well. I think I
am comfortable with the ball at my feet. We aremore flexible in formations with Nagelsmann,
changing during matches. He reads the game
really well and can find details that can make
us successful.You began your career as a teenager at
Liverpool. How was that experience?
I have very good memories. I went at the age
of 17 and the first three years went as planned.
The coaches, led by Rafa Benitez, really paid
attention to my development; they were planning
step by step how I could reach the level of the
first team and be the number one for the club.
Unfortunately, after Rafa left there were many
changes at the club with Roy Hodgson, Kenny
Dalglish and Brendan Rodgers. They are all
fantastic managers, but at that time, because
the club was not doing that well, they had
other priorities. For a young player it is a
difficult situation but one you have to accept
and understand. That’s why I decided I needed
a change and had go somewhere else to be a
number one keeper.Did you ever play at Anfield?
I was on the bench 52 times for Liverpool but
I never made a competitive appearance for the
team. The only time I played at Anfield was in
the testimonial game of Steven Gerrard. On
one hand I regret I didn’t get the opportunity
at Liverpool, but on the other
that’s what triggered my move
to Salzburg and then Leipzig. I
am very happy where I am now.
Interview by Jim Holden