Goalkeeper Martina Tufekovic will join VfL Wolfsburg from TSG 1899 Hoffenheim this summer. The 30-year-old, who is currently nursing a thigh muscle injury, shared her thoughts on her upcoming move to the She-Wolves in a brief interview.
Martina, first things first – how are you at the moment?
Martina Tufekovic: “I have mixed feelings – this is not how I imagined my final few weeks at TSG. The most important thing is that it’s not a long-term injury and that the spell on the sidelines is manageable, so I’m still in a positive frame of mind.”
A big change awaits you this summer. Why did you decide to join VfL?
Martina: “When you mention VfL Wolfsburg, I think everyone knows what kind of club they are. VfL are one of the big role models in women’s football in terms of their objectives and past achievements. There aren’t many teams who can match that at the moment, so I’m very happy that VfL approached me and are giving me the opportunity to join such a big club. I think I can be very proud to play for a club like this.”
What did you make of VfL from an outside perspective?
Martina: “To some extent, we looked up to ‘the great VfL Wolfsburg’ and had a certain amount of respect when we played them. It was always, and has always been, about trying to take points off them. So the thought of actually playing for the club myself soon is really cool!”
What are you looking forward to most at VfL and what are you hoping to achieve during your time here?
Martina: “I’m looking forward to the new challenge, a new daily routine and actually getting away from home for a bit. I think that’s important in order to keep learning in life. What I’m also really looking forward to is being near Hamburg, where some of my family live.”
And what can VfL fans look forward to after you join?
Martina: “I’m going to use my nickname here – ‘Tuffi’. It’s what they called me at TSG. I think fans can look forward to an open, determined Tuffi, who gives her all in every training session and goes about her job in a really disciplined manner.”
