"I’ll be ready whenever I’m needed" | OneFootball

Clear blue skies, plenty of fans at Cottaweg – and right in the middle of it all, a smiling Rômulo. The Brazilian new signing took part in his first open training session on Tuesday, before taking a few minutes afterwards for a quick Q&A off the pitch.

Ahead of the home match against 1. FC Heidenheim, the 23-year-old spoke about Brazilian strikers in the Bundesliga, the differences between leagues, and – with a smile – revealed when he expects to be ready for his first start.

“Now it’s my time”

Asked about Germany’s fondness for Brazilian strikers, Rômulo’s eyes lit up: “A number of Brazilian forwards have played in Germany – Roberto Firmino at Hoffenheim, Grafite at Wolfsburg. But it’s been a while since one has been here. Now it’s my time – and I want to have a really strong season.”

After a successful campaign in Turkey, the next challenge now awaits: “It's a new country, new culture and a different style of football. But I’ve joined a good team here and I’m confident I’ll adapt quickly to the style of play.”

And what does he see as the biggest difference? “The Bundesliga is an extremely demanding league. Every game is tough, you have to stay switched on at all times. In Turkey, there are four or five top clubs. Here, even the smaller teams play at a very high level.”

Focus on Saturday

The striker has already put the opening day defeat in Munich behind him: “Today our focus was fully on Saturday. Whether it’s Bayern or Heidenheim – we’re under pressure every game and have to deliver.”

And will he be in the starting XI? Rômulo grinned and kept it short: “I’ll be ready whenever I’m needed.”

He already showed his quality in the Allianz Arena on matchday 1, with no sign of nerves: “In Turkey and Brazil, the stadiums are always sold out too, and the atmosphere is incredible. So what I experienced in Munich didn’t surprise me.”

“My friends watch RB Leipzig now”

One small advantage for Leipzig is that many of Rômulo’s friends are now tuning in live – from far away. “My friends in Turkey and Brazil are watching RB Leipzig now,” Rômulo said with a laugh.

Saturday could be the real start for him in Leipzig, with the potential for his first home game and first goal for the club - our new striker is certainly ready.

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