“Immediately part of the family”

Summer signing Tiago Tomas on his first few days in Wolfsburg and his objectives with the Wolves.

VfL Wolfsburg Spieler Lacroix, Tomas und Cozza posieren Arm in Arm im Trainingsdress.

VfL’s training camp in Seefeld is in full swing, with new signing Tiago Tomas already in the thick of the action. The Portuguese has shown no fear since joining the club – not just in Tyrol but during the first week of pre-season training in Wolfsburg – and appears to have settled in seamlessly. In this interview, the technically gifted 21-year-old talks about this exciting period as well as his style of play, strengths and objectives.

Hi Tiago, welcome to the Wolf pack! You’ve already spent a week training with your new club in Wolfsburg, had your first pre-season friendly and completed your first few sessions in Seefeld. What have you made of the last few days?

Tiago Tomas: “My first impression is a lot better than I expected. The standard here is much higher than I’ve been used to in the past. My new teammates have really helped me settle in over the first few days and welcomed me with open arms. I immediately felt part of the family and completely settled.”

You last played for Stuttgart on loan. Was it a conscious decision to make a permanent move to the Bundesliga or what was the key factor behind your move to VfL?

Tiago: “I had other options, too. In the end, though, the reason I chose VfL was because of the way the club approached me. I was shown what they want to achieve and the style of football they want to play. And the fact that I already know the Bundesliga was obviously an advantage. All the foundations I wanted for the next step in my career were in place.”

You were born in Lisbon and had played for Sporting since 2014. Despite the fact you’ve been on loan in Germany for 18 months, was it a difficult decision to leave your home country for a longer period?

Tiago: “It obviously wasn’t an easy decision as I grew up in Lisbon. Life goes on, however, and I’m at a stage where I need to prioritise my career. The club will have a place in my heart wherever I go, but the time had come for me to look for a new adventure.”

You played on the wing in the friendly against the Beck’s XI, but you’ve often operated as a centre-forward in the past. Where do you see your biggest strengths?

Tiago: “That depends on the game we’re playing. In the past few years I’ve been playing on the wing more regularly – I’m able to show my qualities more in that role. Up front, I benefit from having a partner who can occupy opposition players and offers me more freedom and space.”

You touched on your qualities there. In the last game you were able to showcase your agility and technique. How would you describe your style of play? What can the VfL fans look forward to?

Tiago: “I’m a quick, creative player who likes to feed his teammates but who can also come out on top in one-v-ones. My focus is on the opposition goal.”

What are your objectives at Wolfsburg?

Tiago: “Helping the team achieve their targets is obviously the priority. Personally, though, I want to be able to show all my qualities. I want to play to my potential, preferably with goals and assists, because that also helps the team.”