First Team

The new Titan

Kamil Grabara spoke in an interview about his debut, his mask and the first away game of the season.

After nine years at VfL Wolfsburg, Koen Casteels headed off to Saudi Arabia and passed the goalkeeping baton on to Kamil Grabara. The Wolves’ new No1 spoke in an interview about making his Bundesliga debut, the mask he wears and the forthcoming match against newly promoted Holstein Kiel. 

Kamil, there was plenty of positive feedback after the home clash with Bayern Munich, and you made it into the ‘team of the week’ in kicker magazine. How do you rate your own performance?

Kamil Grabara: “I was delighted with the fact that I managed to keep the team in the match for so long. On another day against another opponent, it might have been enough to come away with a win or at least a draw. We can’t feel too bad about it because we did a lot of things right. But the reality of the matter is that we didn’t pick up any points – and that’s all that matters.

VfL-Wolfsburg-Torwart Kamil Grabara springt neben einem Gegenspieler in die Luft und wehr einen heranfliegenden Ball mit der Faust ab.

You’ve been in Wolfsburg for a couple of months now. How have you been settling in?

Grabara: “To begin with here, it was really relaxed. I’d known for a while that I was going to Wolfsburg, so I’d already got the most important things under way with the help of the club, like looking for a house. When we got here, all of the little things that you usually have to do in the first few weeks had already been sorted out.

And who have you brought with you to Wolfsburg?

Grabara: “I’m living here with my family – that’s my fiancée Dominika and our dog.

In the media, you’re often described as an extrovert, sometimes even wild and crazy. What’s the difference between Kamil the goalkeeper and Kamil the person?

Grabara: “I’m still trying to work out why I get called crazy all the time. When I think about it, I can’t come up with a decent answer. The man in the mask is the same person as Kamil. Maybe in private I’m a little bit calmer.”

You had a serious collision two years ago, and since then, you’ve worn a very distinctive mask. You’ve also got a number of titanium plates and screws in your face. Does that have an influence on the way you play?

Grabara: “Not in the slightest. I’m going to wear the mask for the rest of my career and I’m happy with the idea of that. It’s part of me and it’s become something of a trademark. And I don’t want something like that to happen to me again.”

VfL-Wolfsburg-Torwart Kamil Grabara hebt die Hand und ruft Anweisungen zu.

The nickname ‘Titan’ is unfortunately already taken by Oliver Kahn. Which one would you fancy?

Grabara: “Oliver Kahn is a legend. He very much earned that nickname and deserves to keep it. I don’t need a nickname.”

Why is your mask blue and not green?

Grabara: “We have blue goalkeeper jerseys so that suits my blue mask perfectly – and it’s what I’ve had for a while. I’ve got a black mask as well, but while things are going well, I’m not going to change. I can always do it if I have a bad run.”

The Wolves are travelling to face newly promoting Kiel on Saturday. What are you expecting from your first away game? 

Grabara: “We need to back up our strong performance against Bayern and prove that it was no fluke. It will be the first ever Bundesliga home game in Kiel’s history, so they’ll be up for it, no doubt. But so will we.”