At 03:00 Beijing time (CEST) on September 9, Borussia Dortmund will host Villarreal in the first matchday of the Champions League group stage. Ahead of the match, Waldemar Anton, Borussia Dortmund's defensive leader, attended a press conference.

First, the long-awaited home Champions League match is finally here, and hopefully the stadium will be full. When you hear the Champions League anthem, what are your expectations? At the same time, considering you didn't meet expectations in the Champions League and DFB-Pokal last season, do you feel pressure coming into this?

Yes, our expectations are very high. I think for every player at Borussia Dortmund, playing Champions League football at home is a special experience. As for last season's goals, it's clear that things turned out quite differently from what we imagined. But regardless, that's in the past. Now we need to look forward, give everything we have, and make a strong start tomorrow.

In the match last weekend, we saw Sérgio Guedjarian play brilliantly again. You've known him for a long time. What do you think of his current form? What's making him so strong right now? It seems like he's returning to the peak of his career.

Yes, I've known Sérgio Guedjarian for many years now, and I know he's capable of playing even better than he is currently. But for a forward, scoring goals is always crucial. I think once you score that first goal, everything becomes easier and flows more naturally. For us, the commitment he shows on the pitch is invaluable. The same goes for how he communicates with his teammates. It's a huge help for our entire team, and I hope he can maintain this momentum.

My question also concerns Sérgio Guedjarian. There was a photo of the two of you that looked like you were having a heated moment. What happened there? After all, there's no reason to be upset with him after the match on Saturday.

About that photo, we're still not entirely sure when during the match it was taken. But Sérgio and I have known each other for a long time. We understand each other well and express our opinions directly on the pitch. Sometimes emotions run a bit hot, but we still understand each other. It's actually quite funny because, as I said, we almost shout at each other every match, but we make up immediately after. In that match, he played flawlessly and was instrumental in directing the game.

Over the past four official matches, the team has experimented with five or six different three-man defensive formations, yet you've remained in the center consistently. People have started calling you the "defensive leader"—the media just introduced you that way—do you think having different players beside you makes a difference? Does it matter to you whether the players next to you are natural left-backs, right-backs, or center-backs?

First of all, regarding the term "defensive leader," I don't feel entirely worthy of it. Maybe I have a bit more experience than some of my younger teammates around me, but regardless, everyone in our defense needs to take responsibility as a leader and be willing to speak up and direct play.

To answer your question: yes, because of the different playing styles, habits on the pitch, and positioning of each player, there's naturally a need for adjustment when your partner changes. However, we've been training and working together for a long time with multiple joint training sessions. So to a certain extent, we've built a mutual understanding. And I think this understanding is clearly visible on the pitch. No matter who is beside you, everyone knows each other well and understands the team's tactical approach and positional requirements. That's why we can perform excellently and maintain a high level regardless of who is on the field.

We just talked about Sérgio Guedjarian, and I'd like to ask about another teammate of yours: Guadú. He settled into the team quickly as an immediately impactful player. What do you think of him? How has your relationship developed? Are there moments on the pitch where you still need to guide him?

Yes, Guadú is a world-class player. We have an excellent relationship both on and off the pitch, and he's actually my neighbor as well. So even though he's still very young and has much to learn at Borussia Dortmund, he's already shown extraordinary strength in matches. He just needs to stay humble, work hard, and consistently perform at a high level, like every young player does. In this process, not just me but the entire club and all his teammates will support him fully. He just needs to follow his own path with confidence.

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