Willi Orban: "I fundamentally trust my body" | OneFootball

In a young team such as RB Leipzig's, an experienced core provides the key to success. This group must lead by example with their performances, providing something for the younger players to learn from. One of these elder statesmen is Willi Orban, still consistently delivering, even in his 11th season with RBL. In an interview with the 33-year-old, he has now explained the reasons behind his and the team's success to date. 

Willi is our Mr. Reliable this season, with 1,600 minutes played across all competitions. That is three minutes more than even David Raum, who took over the captain's armband from him at the start of the season. Head coach Ole Werner has also been impressed: "Willi is unshakable."

Willi is always continuing to learn

Willi's secret recipe to success is simple: "I fundamentally trust my body and my qualities." At the training camp, he provided a glimpse into his fitness routine, explaining what forms the basis of his work: "I am a big fan of squats, deadlifting and pull-ups: that way, you activate and train the largest muscle groups."

He views the fact that RBL are not playing in continental competition as having developed into a positive: "This season has provided time for regeneration, which we are taking full advantage of. Nonetheless, I am hoping that we can get back into Europe, because that feeling of playing under the floodlights is simply unmatched."

Furthermore, Willi explains that he is still continuing to learn, even in the latter years for a footballer: "The most important thing is that I continue to develop myself. It is nice to see yourself progressing further under a new head coach. I have also made steps forward in the opening half of the season, for example in terms of preemptive defending or how high to keep the back line."

Still one of the league's outstanding performers

His development is clear to see from the statistics. Willi is among the top performers in the Bundesliga for both passing (92.19% accuracy) and duels won (156), placing seventh in the rankings in both regards. His tally of headers won (67) sees him sitting even higher up the standings in fourth.

Willi has not only received encouragement from his own progression but also from that of the team. He reflects on the first half of the campaign "very positively". Despite not everything being 100% perfect, he sees RBL "on the right track", regardless. When Bundesliga football returns for the side away to St. Pauli on Saturday afternoon, he believes it will be important to "stay switched on, because it was possible to see towards the end of the last calendar year that it gets tricky to deliver incredible performances in every position, week-after-week, when you are missing a few players, for example."

In terms of team news, it is certain to say that Willi will be starting. Whether he can deliver once again, well, that's just as certain.

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