Despite having to wait 238 days before being named in the starting line-up for the first time this Bundesliga season, Kilian Fischer never lost his sense of humour. In an interview, the 23-year-old spoke about how his hard work paid off, chats with former team-mates from around the world and a cause that is close to his heart.
Kilian, you were one of the best Wolfsburg players in the defeat away to Leipzig. How pleased were you with your performance?
Kilian Fischer: “On the one hand, we were disappointed with the result, but on the other hand, it was an incredible feeling to be back on the pitch after such a long absence. I’m pleased that I got the opportunity and that I put in a relatively decent performance.”
Ralph Hasenhüttl was of the same opinion, saying after that match that “Kilian is the type of player that you can rely on and who leaves it all out on the pitch”. How good is it to get individual praise like that?
Fischer: “I was absolutely delighted – after all, everyone likes to receive praise. What I was particularly pleased about was the fact that the coach recognised in such a short space of time what I stand for and what sets me apart.”
When you were in Nuremberg, you were already involved in a number of social projects, and now that you’re in Wolfsburg, you’ve become a sponsor of the children’s clinic. What’s your motivation behind this?
Fischer: “It might sound like a bit of a cliché, but I just really like to be able to give something back. It takes comparatively little effort to provide such a huge amount of joy. And at the end of the day, seeing the look in the children’s eyes is all the recompense I need.”
Before you played for Nürnberg, you were with Türkgücü München and you played your youth-team football with 1860 München. Wolfsburg is your first club outside of Bavaria. What do you miss from down south?
Fischer: “Munich and Bavaria are my home – the lakes and the mountains make it a great place to spend your free time. Over the years though, I’ve come to appreciate that Wolfsburg and the surrounding area have plenty to offer. My friends say that I’m like a senior citizen in that I like to stay at home, go to bed early and enjoy peace and quiet. Our greyhound, Ella, likes it here as well – we’re just a short walk away from being out in the fields.”
Your team-mates from your Munich days Stefan Reuter, Leon Klassen and Noel Niemann are now playing in clubs all around the world. How do you all manage to keep in touch with one another?
Fischer: “Times certainly have changed. Back then, we saw one another every day, but now it’s down to only once or twice a year. It’s not that easy any more to keep up with how the others are doing. One of them’s in Los Angeles, the others are in Moscow and Osnabrück. We’ll never completely lose touch though – we Facetime regularly and we’ve been planning a holiday together for a while.”
To finish off with, let’s talk about the forthcoming home match against Bochum. What are you expecting from this clash of the VfLs?
Fischer: “Everyone’s aware of how important this match is. We’re so close to one another in the table that it’s going to be a classic six-pointer. A win will give us some real breathing space, and we’re going to give it everything we’ve got. It’s going to be a real battle.”
