On June 15, local time, in an interview with Bild, Bayer Leverkusen's new head coach Carles Martinez discussed the public evaluation of the team's new signing, Eichhorn.

PSG coach Luis Enrique once commented about you: "Carles is an excellent coach, and he will certainly forge his own path. Every time my team played against Toulouse, we had difficulties, and that's no accident." Are you pleased to receive such praise?

Carles Martinez: "Of course, it makes me happy and proud. However, I think in reality, compared to Paris, matches are always harder for us... (laughs). I've always enjoyed playing against Luis Enrique. Paris is probably the best team in Europe right now. Competing with such top-level teams is always a special challenge. I hope that in the future, at Bayer Leverkusen, we can often do the same."

Your first trip as Bayer Leverkusen's coach was to Berlin to meet Eichhorn. How do you assess this "talent"?

Carles Martinez: "I'm very happy he ultimately chose us. After I arrived at Bayer Leverkusen and took office, Rolfes told me: 'We've successfully advanced this deal, and now you need to immediately fly with us to Berlin to meet Eichhorn.' My involvement in this meeting made the player himself very happy. Of course, for Eichhorn, it was very important to understand my plans for him as head coach. The club did excellent preparatory work for this transfer. Eichhorn knows that Bayer Leverkusen is the best place for him to grow and develop. This also reflects the values that Bayer Leverkusen represents—we are a club that believes in talent and young players. I really appreciate that."

Marca has already nicknamed Eichhorn the "mini Kroos." Do you think the comparison between him and Kroos is fair?

Carles Martinez: "I don't like that comparison. Kroos is Kroos, and Eichhorn is Eichhorn. He knows very well that he must forge his own path. And although Eichhorn is still very young, he has already shown a distinct personality. He asked me many questions about life in professional football, really hoping to understand how he can grow and improve here in the future. Eichhorn doesn't need to become the next Kroos. Our job is to help him develop and eventually become one of Bayer Leverkusen's best players."

During your time coaching Toulouse, you primarily used a 3-4-3 formation. The public believes you want to switch to a 4-3-3 at Bayer Leverkusen—is that true?

Carles Martinez: "I've learned a lot over the years. When it comes to this question, the key is knowing which players we have. We need to find the structure that best suits the team to maximize its strengths and quality. Of course, I already have my own ideas. But for now, I can't confirm whether we'll ultimately adopt a four-defender or three-defender system. In modern football, you must be prepared to play with different tactical structures. Only then will it be harder for opponents to predict us."

Have you decided where you'll live with your family?

Carles Martinez: "We're currently looking for the most suitable place for the whole family to live. This also involves many private family-level decisions."

Will you learn German?

Carles Martinez: "When I first arrived in France, I thought it was impossible for me to learn French. But now I speak French quite well. To be honest, when I hear a beautiful language but don't understand it at all, I feel a bit rude. So I'll try to learn German. It will certainly take time. But I hope that one day in the future, I'll also be able to answer your questions in German."

Traduit par IA.