Timo Becker: There aren’t many bigger occasions

Timo, the new season finally starts on Friday. How do you think pre-season went?
The last few weeks have been extremely intense and we’ve worked really hard. Our style of play is new but the path we’ve taken is the right one. Everybody gave their best during pre-season and pushed themselves to the limit. A lot of things need several weeks to be perfected but I think we’re on the right track.

What was your personal highlight?
Every day at Schalke is a highlight for me (smirks), but evenings like the one we spent with the fans at the training camp in Austria are always really special. It was incredible to see how many fans joined us there, as well as how many came to watch us play friendlies. The last game here against Sevilla in front of a crowd of around 45,000 was also a real highlight.

What have you made of the team and the new coach?
We have a good team spirit and we all really get on with one another. I can sense the trust we have in each other out on the pitch too. The coaching team demand a lot from us every day and you can see that Miron wants to improve himself as a coach with each day too. He’s always fully committed but also enjoys his work, which helps to motivate the team.

You are playing alongside Nikola Katic at the back, who you get on well with off the pitch. Does that help your partnership in defence?
Definitely. Over the past few years, success has only been possible with a good defence. If we want to see better times at Schalke again, a solid defence with strong coordination is arguably the most crucial element. Nikola and I work really well together, we can rely on one another and that’s crucial.

You must know Gelsenkirchen better than almost everyone else in the squad. Have you already had to give your teammates lots of tips?
Nikola has asked me a lot about where to go out to eat, where to buy furniture or where to go shopping (laughs). Most of the other players have been here for a bit longer and I think the younger guys probably go to different places – I tend to just find a nice spot for a coffee somewhere. It makes for a good balance in the dressing room though.

What are you expecting from Friday night’s game?
I’m really looking forward to it! Being part of the league’s opening game is fantastic – everyone in Germany will be watching. There aren’t many bigger occasions than two big clubs taking each other on under the floodlights of our sold-out arena. If you can’t get up for Friday night’s game, there’s no helping you!

This will be your first competitive game since returning to the club. How many tickets have you had to sort out?
I’m lucky that my mates already all have a season ticket! I therefore don’t need to get them a ticket and being back at Schalke is generally easier as nobody has to travel far to see me play and they would be in the stadium anyway.

How excited are your friends and family?
My family are absolutely buzzing, as are my friends. I think we’ve managed to get the fans quite excited again over the past few weeks. After the last few years, positivity and excitement from the fans ahead of the new season is just what we need. We need to build on this.

What do you make of Hertha BSC going into Friday’s opener?
Hertha will be one of our most difficult opponents this season. When you look at their squad and the players they have brought in, they are clearly aiming for promotion and have been pretty honest about that too. They also have a good coach, one I’ve played against on a number of occasions. We know what strengths they have and need to make life difficult for them. It’s a test for us a team and I’m positive we can pass that test.

Hertha’s team includes Fabian Reese, someone you played with here at Schalke and at Kiel. Given that you are also good friends, will it be a special meeting between the two of you?
We’ve already come up against one another so many times in training and in league football, so it’s not really special anymore (smirks). We will be rivals on the pitch and I will make sure he can’t get past me. We will speak like normal after the game but we won’t be chatting before Friday’s match.