Janik Bachmann: Ready to hit the ground running after the first phone call with Ben Manga

Janik, during your time at Sandhausen you were part of a memorable game on 29th April 2022. Simon Terodde scored the winner in added time for the Royal Blues, with the 2-1 win proving to be a key step towards our eventual promotion. How did you experience the atmosphere at the Hardtwaldstadion back then?
It was like an away game for us, even though we were at home. The Schalke fans had taken over the stadium, with nearly everyone in the stands wearing blue. There must have been at least 10,000 S04 fans there; it was a once-in-a-lifetime atmosphere. The game was tight and it was a hard fight. The scoreline was deadlocked at 1-1 going into added time, before Simon Terodde was able to prod the ball over the line. A win would have seen us secure safety with games to spare. Fortunately, the defeat against Schalke didn’t hurt us too badly, since Dynamo Dresden also dropped points that day. We ended up staying up and finishing nine points clear of the relegation zone.

You also lost the first meeting with the Royal Blues back then. While playing for Hansa Rostock last season, you missed the first game of the season against S04 due to injury, before losing at the VELTINS-Arena on matchday 33. Have Schalke been a bit of a bogey team for you up until now?
You’re right, I’ve not had much luck so far (grins). The last match two months ago is still fresh in my mind, even if the defeat really stung at the time. We played well in the first half, before Schalke made some adjustments at half-time and went on to dominate the game.

Now you’ve joined the Royal Blues and moved to your new home at the VELTINS-Arena…
… which is really incredible. The atmosphere in the stadium during both my previous visits here really stuck with me. I can’t even really describe it or put it into words – it’s something you need to experience on the pitch. After the timings for our first home game against Eintracht Braunschweig were announced a few days ago, the excitement and anticipation ahead of the new season has only grown. A Saturday evening kick-off at home at a sold out VELTINS-Arena – there’s nothing like it, especially now that I’m part of FC Schalke 04 and not stepping onto the pitch as part of the visiting team.

How were the club able to convince you to make the move?
No one needed to convince me of anything. When I heard that FC Schalke 04 were interested in me, I told my agent that I really wanted to pursue this opportunity. I also explained that to Ben Manga during our first phone call. I remember exactly what I said: I told him that if I could, I’d love to hit the ground running immediately.

Did you have any other offers?
There were a couple clubs that expressed an interest in me after last season. But, I was immediately set on joining Schalke and didn’t really concern myself with these other offers.

We have a very young squad this season, making you one of the most experienced players at 28 years of age. When you signed for Schalke, you were praised not only for your qualities as a footballer, but also for your mentality. Have you always been the sort of player that seeks to motivate their teammates?
I’ve always been like that, although I held back a bit during my first training sessions with Schalke. That was because I wanted to form my own impression of everything, which ended up being extremely positive. The lads are in great spirits, everyone treats each other with a lot of respect. Everyone is also extremely motivated. All these factors are important in the lead-up to a successful season.

How would you describe your playing style in three to four sentences?
I’m not afraid to get stuck in, am a hard runner and not bad on the ball as well. I can also play in various positions, from defensive to attacking midfield or even as a number 10, or I’ve also played as a centre-back before. I’ve played at basically every position in the centre of the pitch so far in my career.

Did you already know any of your new teammates before making the move?
This is actually the first time in my career that I’ve joined a new club without knowing any of my teammates. Maybe Kenan Karaman – he was playing for the first team at Hannover 96 when I was with the club’s U23s. Having spent just over two weeks at Schalke now, I already feel as if I’ve known the lads here for ages. The team were really welcoming, and it’s definitely not a disadvantage that I’m not the only new signing, as we have to find ourselves as a team now. Players reached out even before pre-season got underway. Michael Langer got my phone number and sent me a message after I signed saying that I could always come to him if I had any questions. Ron Schallenberg also got in touch and offered to help. That really left me with a positive feeling. Ron and I are now also sharing a room here in Mittersill.

What surprised you the most in your first few days?
I knew that FC Schalke 04 have a lot of fans and they follow the club both home and away, but when we got to the training pitch here in Mittersill on the first day I was stunned that the stand was completely full. It’s simply incredible. There were people stood to the side of the stand too supporting us. It felt amazing, especially because the Nationalpark Hohe Tauern isn’t exactly round the corner from Gelsenkirchen.

You’ve pretty much always worn the number 26 during your career. Does it have a special meaning for you?
I started with the number 36 at Darmstadt. I then moved to Hannover 96’s U23s and shirt numbers only went up to 30 in the Regionalliga Nord, so I then picked 26 and stuck with it at all my other clubs. The only time I’ve not had it was during my first six months at SV Sandhausen (number 5) because I joined in the winter and the number 26 was taken.

Tomas Kalas wears the number 26 at Schalke, meaning you’re currently wearing the number 14. Did you choose that number yourself?
I didn’t want to ask Tomas if he’d give me the number 26 (laughs). I also really like the number 14 because my son was born on the 14th day of a month.

You’re married and have two small children. Have you found a new home yet in the Ruhr area?
Yeah, we got the keys to our new place last Sunday and were able to put our furniture in there before the start of the training camp. We’ll then properly move in when I’m back from Mittersill. It was important to me that we didn’t live in a hotel for too long. Feeling comfortable and happy is really important to me, especially when it comes to my family. The drive to the training ground is only five or six minutes, so it’s perfect.

Have you spent any time getting to know your new city and the local area?
A little bit. There are definitely some nice places that I’ll discover with my family. I went to watch Germany’s EURO 2024 quarter-final against Spain at the public screening in Gelsenkirchen with a few teammates.

Who planned that event?
It just came about really. Together with a few of the lads who were living in the same hotel, we just said that we’d like to watch the game together somewhere. Ron-Thorben Hoffmann asked Luca Podlech because he’s from Gelsenkirchen and he recommended the fan zone at Nordsternpark. There were five of us in the end: Ron-Thorben Hoffmann, Anton Donkor, Peter Remmert, Luca Podlech and I. It was a cool evening, even if Germany unfortunately lost in the end.

You also watched the semi-final between France and Spain together. Pretty much the whole team was sat together in the courtyard of the Mittersill castle…
A training camp offers you the perfect opportunity to get to know each other better away from the pitch. I’m spending a lot of time chatting with the other lads, including playing table tennis, although that didn’t go too well for me on the first night (laughs). Despite that, I enjoyed it and felt comfortable within the group. I think we’re growing together nicely as a group.