Interview with Champions League winner Patrick Franziska (1. FC Saarbrücken TT): “I felt sorry for Timo's tears in my eyes”

1. FC Saarbrücken TT have been crowned Champions League winners for the third time in a row with a 3:1 victory in the final against record winners Borussia Düsseldorf. In an interview after his winning point, FCS captain Patrick Franziska talks about the significance of the hat-trick and also about his team's transfer coup with the signing of Chinese Olympic champion Fan Zhendong.

Patrick Franziska, congratulations on successfully defending your title and also on your hat-trick in the Champions League. What significance does this success have?

In the first moment, with all the emotions, it was the best, also because we can celebrate at home like last year. This time, the atmosphere was even better and louder.

And the run of success? After all, no team had managed that for eleven years?

Yes, three Champions League wins in a row really isn't that easy. That's why I would rate this success as the most special.

In your five-set matches in the final, you first had to concede the formal break against Anton Källberg after three match points, but then took care of the decision against your national team colleague Dang Qiu despite being temporarily 0:3 down. How did you feel after winning the point?

It can happen that quickly in sport. I'm mega relieved and mega, mega happy.

Is the relief perhaps all the greater because you didn't have to play against your friend Timo Boll in the last Champions League of his career?

No, it was actually clear that Timo would play at number three. But I would have loved to play against him. But after the final, I was also very sorry to see Timo with a few tears in his eyes after his last international match.

Before the season, your team specifically strengthened itself for the premier class with Truls Möregardh. Mission accomplished, you could say after his important 3:0 in the second singles final against Qiu, right?

Definitely. Truls, with whom I get on very well, is as ripped off as I've rarely seen him. He's a really cool guy. I'm particularly happy for him because he hadn't won the Champions League yet and was so keen to win the title in the training week before the final, despite his bronze medal at the World Cup shortly beforehand. Having him in the team gives us all extra confidence.

You came to the medal ceremony and trophy presentation arm in arm with Saarbrücken's man of action Erwin Berg. Was that an expression of your special relationship?

Yes, you can see it that way. Erwin brought me to Saarbrücken in 2016. Since then, the guy has remained practically as mentally and physically fit as ever. He always says that every title we win makes him a few years younger. This title is also something very special for him, he's a great person and has built everything up in Saarbrücken. Just like our team manager Nico Barrois, who is always with us and there for us, he is a special person. For people like these two, it's worth putting in the effort.

On the final weekend, your club announced the sensational signing of Olympic champion and former world champion Fan Zhendong for all three competitions. Can your team be beaten at all in the coming season?

We'll have to wait and see how many games Fan can ultimately play. The plan is for him to play a few. When I spoke to him on the phone after the announcement, he was really looking forward to the adventure with us in Saarbrücken. I will try to show him everything in Saarbrücken as best I can so that Fan feels at home with us. But it's also clear that we expect him to score some points when he's fit and having fun. Apart from our future role as favorites, it's great for table tennis in Germany and Europe that we were able to sign such a man. He also really wanted to come to us and not just play a bit of tralala, but Fan wants to win titles with us. His commitment is a great honor for us.

Does this also mean that your team wants to win all three possible titles or even claim the “treble”?

I think that these goals go hand in hand with Fan's signing, even if he will have other commitments and tasks to attend to in China. But if he plays in all competitions, it will of course be difficult to beat us - very, very difficult.

How do you personally rate this coup?

At the moment, I'm more excited about it than thoughts of future titles. I'm really looking forward to enjoying training with him for the time being, but also to learning from him and finding out a bit more about what makes him tick. Something like this would not have been possible in the last 15 or even 20 years. That's why it feels like a dream to me at the moment.

Thank you very much for the interview, Patrick Franziska.

Interview: Florian Manzke