Firing Loïs Openda loving life at resurgent RB Leipzig
From the birth of his son to finding form with RB Leipzig once more, Loïs Openda has had plenty to celebrate of late. bundesliga.com sat down with the nimble Belgian striker ahead of the clash with Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich this weekend.
bundesliga.com: What's the plan to get at Bayern on Friday?
Loïs Openda: "I can't tell you that, it's a secret. I think we have good tactics. We've prepared [really well] for this game. I will also prepare myself to go into battle."
bundesliga.com: Harry Kane is back in training and may make an appearance on Friday; how do you see Bayern and their star striker?
Openda: "We're going to play against the best team in Germany. We know Bayern are one of the biggest clubs in Europe. It’s going to be a tough game, I know, but the club and me, we're all ready for it.
"I’m fortunate to play against the kind of striker [that Kane is]. I am really happy and I will give my best because he’s one of the best strikers in the world and I loved to watch him when I was young. I still watch all the goals that he scores and learn from that."
bundesliga.com: Would you say Kane is the best striker in the world?
Openda: “He’s one of the best. With all the quality that he has, he can do everything. However, we have a lot of good strikers in the world today so I can’t say he’s the best. But he’s certainly one of the best.”
bundesliga.com: What were your thoughts when you heard that Bayern had lost in Mainz on Matchday 14?
Openda: “I remember last year I played for the first time in Mainz and we lost 2-0. I can tell you that it's really, really difficult to play there. You can have a defeat, that can happen. But I think [Bayern] are strong enough mentally and physically to come back from it. We also had a bad moment and now we are back so this is going to be a good game [on Friday].”
Watch: Openda on target as Leipzig beat Frankfurt
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bundesliga.com: There were emotional scenes when you scored a double in this month’s 3-0 DFB Cup win against Eintracht Frankfurt. What did that mean for you and the club?
Openda: “I think everybody knows that we suffered [results wise] in November. That can happen in football, but we had a really bad spell. We didn’t win any games and we lost a lot of games. And then I also heard some bad words against our coach [Marco Rose] and I was not happy with that. Not only [criticism] of the coach, but also of my team.
"I just wanted to win that game, which was really important for us, and then to score and be able to celebrate with the coach. I wanted to show that, even if we have bad moments or good moments, we are all in it together. You know, we are together here almost every day. We have a life with our family, but we also have a life here at the club. I wanted to show that we are one big family here and that no matter what happens, we are still in this together.”
Watch: Openda began the season in fine form
bundesliga.com: You were also on target in Leipzig’s win against Eintracht in the Bundesliga last weekend. Have you been happy with your form this season?
Openda: “Yeah, I am really happy, but I think I can do much better. It’s almost the end of the first half of the season. I’ll have the second half to show all the quality that I showed last year. So that’s okay.”
bundesliga.com: How would you describe your relationship with strike partner Benjamin Šeško on and off the pitch?
Openda: "On the pitch I think it's good. We had a good partnership last year and I think this year we’ve improved it. It's really important because we play with two strikers in the team and we always try to have a connection in order to score a goal and to help the team.
"That's what we are doing now, and that's very good. We have to continue like this and maybe do more. Off the pitch, we try to play some games - basketball or other games - we talk a lot in training and also in the dressing room about how we can play together; we also have a good [off-field] connection.”
bundesliga.com: How do you assess the differences between performing with Leipzig and with the Belgian national team?
Openda: “Yeah, it's totally different. Let’s say it's two atmospheres. I am here [in Leipzig] every day. Here, the players know how I play. Everything is good. Sometimes I don't score, but I still work hard to come back and score the goals.
"Everybody supports me. I have the same with Belgium, but we don't play every week together, so sometimes when you come you have maybe some players who don't know how I play, but we need time for that. I'm sure that with time, everything with Belgium will be like it is here at my club.”
bundesliga.com: What did the recent birth of your son mean to you?
Openda: “It's something that changed my life. It's something special for me, because it’s my first son so I'm really happy. It was the best moment of my life. And you know, I always have this date in my head and on my boots and everywhere I can in order to feel that he is with me.”
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