FC St. Pauli

Nikola Vasilj on…

…what FC St. Pauli means to him: “I’ve made as many appearances here as at all my other clubs put together and I feel at home. Since my arrival we’ve laid the foundations for who we want to be as a club and as a team. We’ve come through a lot and got promoted. Our focus is solely on staying up and I think we’ve earned it. Playing in the Bundesliga was my biggest dream and I’m really enjoying this season. I want to keep living the dream next season.“

…his impressive performances in recent months: “It‘s going very well for me personally at the moment. I feel good, have lots of confidence and am enjoying my time here but there are still things I can improve in every area. I‘m a bit of a perfectionist. It‘s a never-ending process. I like to look back at previous training sessions and matches and check what I have to do better.“

…being nominated for the kicker Team of the Day: “It‘s a nice feeling but one I‘d swap for a point at Bayern straightaway. It‘s nice to see my work is appreciated but for me it‘s all about giving the team a good feeling and helping to get the points we need.“

…his high percentage of penalties saved: “I do a lot of analysis, of course, but in the end it comes down to the way I feel and that‘s what I go with. I normally make my mind up before the game when I see the strikers, but sometimes I change it during the game. It‘s important to go with your instincts but there‘s always an element of luck involved. There are lots of things easier to control for a goalkeeper than penalties.“

Nikola Vasilj got his hands up quickly to keep out a fierce Raphaël Guerreiro effort from close range.

…the visit of Gladbach: “It‘s a massive game. We‘re at home to a very good side who are fighting for a place in the Champions League. They have lots of quality, but we always have a chance at home.“

…the battle against relegation: “Our sole focus is on staying in the Bundesliga. There are only a few games left and we know we have to give it all we‘ve got to achieve our objective. We may have to work even harder than we have been doing because every game is like a cup final for us now. It shouldn’t scare us, though. We don’t have too much time to think about it. I‘m a very positive person and for me it‘s a huge opportunity. We‘re still in a good position even though we obviously still need a few points.“

…the support of the fans: “The reception they gave us at our last home game was very impressive. I‘d only experienced something like that once or twice before and only at local derbies. It was a big surprise and it was fantastic to see all the fans cheering us. It meant a lot to us. The fans give their all and the away section was full again at Munich. We hear them every game, home and away. They‘re definitely like a 12th man for us.“

Photos: FC St. Pauli/Witters