After joining Hoffenheim from RB Salzburg this summer, injuries have hampered his debut in the German elite, but after betting the full 90 minutes of five of Hoffenheim’s eight Bundesliga games since the year began, the 24-year-old must make his mark.
Sitting down for a virtual chat with bundesliga. com, Samassekou talks about the patience needed for the coronavirus, developing with his partner and now Bundesliga rival Amadou Haidara, and his hopes of betting again this season.
bundesliga. com: Like all Bundesliga players, Diadie Samassekou has been running away from home lately because of the coronavirus pandemic, how’s it going?
Diadie Samassekou: “Hello everyone! It’s nothing. Of course, it took me a while for you and everyone else. Yes, for now it’s not that easy, it’s a new scenario for all of us. But we’re looking for our maximum productivity, to stay in shape. We have home programs. I’m healthy, I have compatibility and I think that’s the most vital thing right now. “
bundesliga. com: How would you sum up your Hoffenheim debut after leaving RB Salzburg this summer?
Samassekou: “Yes, I think the first few months were as simple as I expected because I missed the African Cup of Nations pre-season. And I also had this injury for two months, so it wasn’t that simple . . . But I think I’m back now, I have compatibility and I know how the team plays. I know philosophy better. I adapt step by step to the team. “
bundesliga. com: Hoffenheim’s functionality has been combined with new head coach Alfred Schreuder. How close is the team to reaching its potential?
Samassekou: “Yes, if you look, we are not where we wanted to be, but I think we can still achieve our goals. Of course, we have to qualify for foreign football at the end of the season. I think the difficult games are a bit far from us now because we have had five, six difficult games, but I perceive the fans, I think they would like us to play better, we would also like to play better, but that’s the way it is, and they deserve to be followed because we are also doing our best. We’ll see when we play again. But I think if we get it right, we can be in the most sensible six, the most sensible seven by the end of the season. “
bundesliga. com: You played alongside Borussia Dortmund forward Erling Haaland at RB Salzburg. Have you been through their Bundesliga debut and are you still in touch?
Samassekou: “No, I’m not surprised, I played with him and we all know the player and the person. We all know he’ll be a very sensible player someday. Of course, it was very fast and I think he himself didn’t expect it to happen so fast for him. But yes, I’m satisfied with him. Of course we’re in touch, we write sometimes, he’s a great guy. I hope it keeps getting better, and I think it will. “
bundesliga. com: Does Haaland have what it takes to be a real superstar?
Samassekou: “Yes, of course. Almost now she’s a superstar so she’s doing now, not because of age, many players don’t do the same. I think he’s one of the most productive players in the league. “right now. “
bundesliga. com: You played with compatriot Amadou Haidara at RB Salzburg. Are you still in touch with the RB Leipzig player?
Samassekou: “Yes, Amadou is like a brother to me, we communicate every day. We started at the same academy. We got here to Salzburg and we’re here in the Bundesliga. He didn’t get it the way he expected,” because he’s not playing the way he wanted to. But I think it’s okay, when he has time to play, he’s helping the team. I think that’s the most vital thing. He keeps running and I’m sure his time will come. “
bundesliga. com: What makes the friendship between you and Haidara so special?
Samassekou: “Yes, as I told you, we started in combination at the same academy. We spent six years in combination, we were still in combination and, of course, living in Salzburg, we were the only two Malian children there, so we were given even closer. And now, even when we’re not in combination, we spend a vacation in combination, we spend the weekends in combination. So, like I said, he’s like a brother to me now. “
bundesliga. com: As one of the key players in the national team, you’re a role-playing style in Mali. You even controlled a corner shot for Mali, do you think that’ll happen again in the Bundesliga?
Samassekou: “Yes, it was anything we trained because we know african goalkeepers like to get out of position. Of course, it was a special scenario because the wind was strong, so I tried, once, twice. A fois. il” entered the goal, at the time it was not a goal. If you train, you see that you can rarely do it. “
bundesliga. com: What prospects do you think the current Mali National Team has in primary tournaments?
Samassekou: “Right now, the most important thing is to keep running because we are a young and talented team. But the goal is to qualify for the next World Cup and also do something bigger than the last African Cup next time. “
bundesliga. com: What is the social scenario in Mali following the coronavirus outbreak?
Samassekou: “I wish it hadn’t happened, but everyone deserves to know that this is serious. They should take it seriously, everyone should stay home, do what the doctors say, wash their hands, protect their face, and do whatever is most productive. for our physical condition because that is the most vital thing. Football and all those things are secondary at the moment. They deserve to pay attention and do the right thing for everyone. “
bundesliga. com: How do you still have support at home?
Samassekou: “We have special systems, we have operating systems that we can do at home and everyone also has a motorcycle to drive at home. It’s not that simple because we’re not used to it. But for now, like I said. , all those minds are secondary – the most vital thing is to stay healthy. We do the best we can, for me I check — because I live next to a forest — to go for a run in the morning and afternoon, I check out to ride a motorbike to stay in shape. “
bundesliga. com: How much do you miss with a ball?
Samassekou: “Of course I miss the ball so much right now, that’s what we miss the most. Training alone is fine, however, it’s without the ball and I think for a footballer, the ball. I think it’s the first” thing we’ll use to get back to the routine when it’s all over. “
bundesliga. com: How does it work with tactical house sessions?How do coaches communicate with players?
Samassekou: “Yes, right now we have videos on the philosophy of maintaining compatibility in our head. Also instructions, also personal videos to see how we can improve the games. We are in touch with everyone and usually paint, just everything at home. “
bundesliga. com: How do you use lost time?
Samassekou: “Right now, like I said, we’re all confined, so I’m at home watching TV with my girlfriend. I also play a lot on PlayStation, I stay home most of the time, that’s all. “
bundesliga. com: How do you manage the current situation?
Samassekou: “Yes, I’m patient because I think I’m used to staying home and training, because I come from academic life. Right now, it adapts to my way of life because I’m not the kind of person who goes out a lot. Then, for me, it’s okay. “
bundesliga. com: Professional footballers and Bundesliga clubs have a duty to help in any way they can. What do you think of what Hoffenheim did with the first team, he and the coaches waving their salaries?
Samassekou: “That’s a smart thing to do. They’re looking for assistance because it’s important. It’s not just about us, it’s about everybody. When I heard what was going on, I was happy with ArrayArray. I’ll do the same if there was a chance, so I know what it is and I come from this place. I know how complicated it is. For us, it’s a small thing, but it makes a big difference, so Array is great. I hope other people will stay in Hoffenheim’s footsteps and seek more help. “
bundesliga. com: Dietmar Hopp, owner of the Hoffenheim, has supported a number of initiatives, adding a project of studies of vaccines against coronavirus.
Samassekou: “Yes, I think he’s someone who’s doing really well. We can see living here what he builds around us. I think what you’ve done here is anything that can really help with sports and medicine. productive to make the domain really enjoyable. And I think other people deserve it. Not only do we communicate what you get because everything you were given, you fired it from your homework and we would all be pleased to have what you have now. And not to be jealous, and just to see what he does and what he does is amazing. “
bundesliga. com: What do you expect from the restart of the Bundesliga?
Samassekou: “At the moment, they say we’ll start betting in early May and we hope so. That’s why we strive to stay in shape because, of course, it’s a month’s waiting. I think we’re going to make it. “
bundesliga. com: Will it replace international outdoor football as a result of the blockade?
Samassekou: “I don’t know yet, you see that the global is changing. People now see the importance of links, because links do everything. I think we also took this time to stay with the other people we love and spend more time doing vital things. “
Get your front row seat to enjoy the Bundesliga by subscribing to our official newsletter:
© 2019 DFL Deutsche Fu-ball Liga GmbH
Choose the English language