crinkly_ears | Welt Online’s Bromantic Headline: "Only Reus Can Distract Him..." (Reply)

Isn't it bromantic?

Link to the German

The playmaker has matured into a world class footballer in Madrid, the Spaniards consider him the leader of Germany’s passing game. Undeterred, he goes his way – unless a colleague clowns around.

Nearly 100,000 in the stands of a Spanish top club? It’s been a while since it made him nervous. Millions watching on television? It motivates. Paparazzi follow him around shopping? It’s part of the job. Marco Reus sits two metres next to him? It’s distracting for Mesut Özil.

The Germany and Real Madrid playmaker sits on Sunday afternoon at the podium in the adidas centre and talks about Tuesday. Before the game against Kazakhstan he’ll be honoured by the DFB: the votes of 50,000 fans of the federation have chosen the 24 year-old as player of the year.

‘It means a lot of me. It’s a sign the fans accept the way in which I play,” says Özil. Then he looks at Reus, who’s standing in the corner fooling around and Özil starts to laugh, so that he has to bring his hand in front of his face. Even a world-class footballer can be silly sometimes.

“He’s the same kind of guy as he is on the pitch: fun and friendly,” is how Reus describes his pal. Only a fellow player could say that. The Kazakhstan players are unlikely to find his dangerous passes funny, and to be almost always unplayable for other teams is far from friendly.

"I think Sami is on to us...

reusut2

"...but I was telling him we should see other people sometimes..."

On Tuesday, Özil is to organize the offensive.

In Nürnberg Bundestrainer Löw is expected to play without a “proper” striker. The National 11 are unluckily without Mario Gomez or Miroslav Klose - Mario Götze is simply the most offensive minded of the four who are left: Reus, Özil, Thomas Müller and himself. Özil’s challenge is to order and spearhead the attack. “I’m curious about our formation. That we can play different ones is an advantage for our team.”

Like Sami Khedira, he finds Jose Mourinho critical for his development. Under him Özil plays more consistently and steadily than he did before. "Mourinho is very important to me. He brought me to Madrid and I am grateful to him. With Real and the National team we play similar systems.”

He knows what he has to do. After the difficult trip (because of the difference) to Kazakhstan, he and his colleagues have been relaxing in their hotel: sleeping, pool, massage, eating. Now that regeneration is complete they are called on to offer something in the way of a spectacle for their audience because of the lack of tension involving this game.

For Özil, Mourinho staying would be preferable

He’s learned a lot in Madrid that can help him with the national team. Understanding the game, to be proactive, to understand transitional changes. And the skill to manage high expectations and pressure and to fail to be impressed with unrest and speculation...

And then there is Mourinho’s future...

For Özil is would be a good thing if Mourinho were to stay at Real. He calls him the best trainer in the world and denies rumours he had any difficulties with him: in sum – his coach has supported him as far as he could. And Özil wants to achieve more: to score (yet more) goals, to be the best player in the world. Contact talks with Madrid have already started.

National Team manager Oliver Bierhoff praises the development of the Germans at Real, Khedira and Özil. “It is wonderful that we have international stars among our ranks. Their appeal abroad makes me very happy and speaks well for German football.
Özil’s contract runs to 2016 and his market-value is estimated at around 40 million Euros. There are lately supposed to be talks between his father and Real Madrid over a pay increase and a contract extension. At the moment Özil earns 5 million a year and 3 outstanding years at Real have earned a salary increase.

Özil says: “I don’t know what the future will bring.” Like Khedira he feels really good in Madrid. Some of his Real colleagues joke sometimes that he’s good enough to play for Spain. Özil counters with: “In Germany we play just as good a tiki-taka as you do...”