“It’s the best feeling”

Ellyes Skhiri on ...

… the friendly in Valencia: “It’s going to be a very good test for us. Valencia are the strongest team we have played in our friendlies so far. We’re prepared – there are a lot of things we want to do and put into practice. It’s our last friendly, then it’s on to the cup and the Bundesliga. We’re really fired up for the game in Valencia.”

… pre-season preparations: “I’m doing well, I’m fit and ready for the season. I have a good feeling – we’ve worked hard. It’s my second year in Frankfurt and I’m happy here. Knowing the season is about to start is the best feeling.”

… his first year in Frankfurt: “The first six months were good. I played a lot and there was a lot of intensity in my game, a good dynamic. The second half of the season wasn’t bad either, but not as good as the first six months. I had some minor injuries, then there was the Africa Cup [of Nations]. I wasn’t always at 100 percent and it wasn’t always easy, but I always tried to give my all. I’m very ambitious and want to do the best I can for the team all season long.” 

… his objectives: “Football is a team sport, but you obviously have personal goals too. I want to help the team by providing plenty of stability, intensity and running.”

… the team: “We want to keep developing and improving, which is normal. We want to do the same this season. A lot of things were new last season, but the situation’s different this time around.”

… the UEFA Europa League: “It’s a very good competition, but we don’t yet know who we’ll be facing. We’re looking forward to it – it’s a step up compared to last year. We want to give a good account of ourselves, but we have other competitions on the horizon with the Bundesliga and DFB Cup. That said, we have a lot of players with a lot of quality.”