With a Revierderby trip to Borussia Dortmund just around the corner, Schalke’s Franco Di Santo could not have picked a better time to end a goalless run dating back to March 2016.
The Argentine striker scored the opener against Hamburg on Matchday 12, paving the way for a 2-0 win that sent the Royal Blues above arch local rivals BVB into second place in the standings.
Bundesliga.com caught up with Schalke’s chirpy No.9 to discuss Saturday’s Revierderby, his long-overdue release and the game-changing work of head coach Domenico Tedesco…
Watch: The key battles of the Revierderby!
bundesliga.com: It’s pretty special for Schalke fans to be ahead of Borussia Dortmund in the table, especially going into the Revierderby. Can you already sense their excitement?
Franco Di Santo: Absolutely. Whether it’s at training, in the shops or in restaurants, everyone is talking about the game. We’ve got fans everywhere (laughs). Obviously we understand the euphoria - you have to. They fill us with confidence. They’re saying to us, “Guys, you’re bang in form. You won’t get a better opportunity to beat BVB.” It goes without saying it’s a particularly special week for all of us.
bundesliga.com: You’ve been a professional footballer for more than 10 years. Do you feel a little more fired up for the derby compared to a game against Hamburg, for example?
Di Santo: If you’re not a little tense and nervous before a game like the derby, then you should probably hang up your boots. I always remember an interview with Diego Maradona when he was at the peak of his powers. “I’m perhaps the best player in the world,” he said. “But I don’t get anywhere near as excited or nervous now compared to my first match.” Not for me. If you lose the excitement, you’ve essentially lost your love for the game.
That feeling when you just moved up to 2⃣nd place in the #Bundesliga