Sebastian Rudy interview

Sebastian, the Bundesliga season is slowly coming to an end, how important was the win against Mönchengladbach on the weekend?

Very important. All the teams behind us in the standings collected points as well and we needed the win in order to distance ourselves from the relegation zone. But that doesn't mean that we can sit back and relax. We have 33 points now and still need to pick up a few more.

Hoffenheim are currently six points away from 7th place and equally as many points away from 16th. What type of mindset do you have at the moment? Are you looking to challenge for 7th place, or rather stay away from the relegation fight?

I think it would be wrong to look at the possibility of qualifying for Europe. We just won our first game after three consecutive defeats. Hopefully we can build on that, but the remaining games are quite tough, we have to keep staying focussed.

Your form has been improving in the last few weeks. How do you rate your own performances in the past few games?

I struggled a bit after the winter break and after the defeat in Dortmund I found myself sitting on the bench. But in the last few weeks I worked really hard and my performances have become more consistent. I know I can still play better, as I haven't reached my limit yet.

On Sunday, Hoffenheim will host FC Schalke 04. The aim will be to collect a home win. How do you plan on accomplishing that against one of the best offensive teams in the league?

Our defensive performance is definitely going to be crucial. We have to defend as a team and try to catch them off guard. We need a perfect match in order to take a result from that game.

Joachim Löw recently praised your development. However, there is plenty of quality in Germany's central midfield at the moment. Do you still believe you have a chance to secure a ticket for the European Championships this summer?

Obviously it's great to receive a compliment from the national team coach. But it will be extremely difficult for me to find a way into the squad. The competition is immense on my position. But it's not impossible. My first call up to the national team showed how quickly these things can go. I wouldn't be too disappointed if it doesn't work out. There are still important games to be played for the U21's, where we want to qualify for next years European Championships. I just have to continue playing well for Hoffenheim and then I'm optimistic that I will be included in Germany's squad again in the near future.

What are your plans this summer?

I will be on vacation.

But you will have your cell phone with you, in case Joachim Löw needs to get in contact with you, right?

Of course. That would be absolutely fantastic. But I'm not sure what my girlfriend would think about it (laughs).