Makoto, you will play against your former club VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday, are you still in touch with some of the players at VfL?
Makoto Hasebe: "I used to be in recent years, for example with Marcel Schäfer, Diego Benaglio and Christian Träsch. I am really looking forward to play against my former cub as I played for them for around five and a half years."
Who is the favourite for Saturday?
Makoto Hasebe: "Wolfsburg had a difficult last season, in the end they had to play the relegation play-offs. Now they started the new campaign with a 3-0 defeat against Dortmund but there is plenty of quality in the squad which we need to be aware off. After all we have a home game though and of course we want to win the match."
Looking back at your knee injury, do you regret going after that ball in the away match in Munich the way you did? After all the result was a long injury break.
Makoto Hasebe: "I am a professional football player and you always give everything you got when you are on the pitch - I would do it exactly the same way again in a similar situation. But being out for five months was tough. My family, the medics, the coaches and the team supported me throughout which was fantastic - now it's time to give something back to them."
There are plenty new players in the team - is that difficult?
Makoto Hasebe: "No, that is totally common in football. Every year numerous international players join the club - the main thing is everyone's good attitude. All the new players learn German right away, for example Daichi Kamada is making fast progress and if he keeps going that way he will speak German well, I would say in around six or eight months."
One of the major recent topics was Kevin-Prince Boateng. How was your reunion?
Makoto Hasebe: "When he started in Bundesliga we were not in touch that often but I recognized him more when he was at Tottenham and Milan. He became one of the big players and quite popular then. We spoke a few times since his arrival and he is a good lad, very positive and very experienced. It is quite possible that he will become one of the key players at Eintracht."
