Patrick Franziska (1. FC Saarbrücken-TT): "It came together as it should come together".
Patrick Franziska has won the Champions League title for the first time with 1. FC Saarbrücken-TT in two final thrillers between the top teams of the German Table Tennis League against Borussia Düsseldorf. In an interview, the captain of the Saarland team sums up the finals and also classifies his team's success with a view to the upcoming play-offs in the TTBL.
Patrick Franziska, after several unsuccessful attempts you have won the Champions League with the 1. FC Saarbrücken-TT. Did you and your teammates storm the longest bar in the world after the success at Borussia Düsseldorf?
Unfortunately, this was not possible for us. After all, the game lasted a long time, and for me, fitness tests were already on the schedule again the next morning. That's why we ended the evening with a good meal at an Italian restaurant, relaxed with a drink or two. But I am sure that we will still celebrate this success in Saarbrücken with our fans and all the helpers.
What does this great success mean for your club?
The Champions League is the biggest title possible in club sport, so it's naturally something mega big for Saarbrücken, because this title has never been won before after ATSV Saarbrücken's success in the then European Cup of Champions with some legends. It is a dream come true for the club and also for me, and very, very important to all of us. This title also makes us very proud.
What philosophy has Saarbrücken's path to Europe's throne been based on in recent years?
Since I came to Saarbrücken in 2016, I've seen nothing but consistent work. That's how we've become champions and cup winners again. We've improved from year to year and have always been in the semifinals or finals in the major competitions. We were always able to annoy Düsseldorf a little bit and sometimes even beat them. You can see the development very well in Darko Jorgic, who was carefully built up and promoted with us and has now matured into an absolute world-class player. It's important to hold on to players and work calmly.
What tipped the scales in favor of your team in the two finals and especially in the final second leg in Düsseldorf?
We were annoyed by the 2:3 in the first leg, because we knew that the second leg at the extremely strong Borussia would be a Herculean task for us. In the end, it was definitely my two wins in the second leg with 6:5 in the fifth set against Anton Källberg and Dang Qiu, but also Darko, who was very strong in the back. Everything could have gone the other way in this close match. You just need a bit of luck and maybe a bit of courage in the end. Everything just came together on this perfect day, as it has to come together for such a success, we even hit the lineups often as we had wished.
What role did the absence of Timo Boll play for the Düsseldorfers?
Timo is a reinforcement for every team at every position due to his class and experience, there can be no two opinions. But Kay made up for his absence at number three with two wins and played sovereignly, especially since we had thought that a point for us at three would be a key to victory.
Hand on heart: Were there many doubts after the 3-2 defeat in the first leg?
Of course, we all always believed in ourselves, but when you lose narrowly at home instead of going ahead and then have to go to Düsseldorf, of course there were doubts. On the other hand, we also knew that Düsseldorf had a lot to lose. That's why we stayed relaxed and banked on an opportunity that we then wanted to take advantage of.
How did you build yourself up again after the first leg that you cleared everything in the second leg?
I didn't have to build myself up that much after the first leg because I was pretty happy with my performance and realized that my game was fitting quite well and that some things, like my passive game, had improved again thanks to the work I'd done in the previous days. That, together with the first win against Anton after a long time, gave me confidence and a boost.
Was there a specific moment in the second leg when you were sure your team would win, or did you believe it all along?
No, in this game there was actually no such moment at all. On the contrary, after Darko's defeat in the first game and my 2-0 deficit against Anton, I even thought we had to be careful not to go down to defeat. But when I turned the game around, I thought for the first time that maybe something could happen, because you need comebacks like that in games like this. I only really believed in it after the 1-1 in the Golden Match before Darko's set against Kay, although it could have gone the other way.
How does this title win compare to the championship and the cup success?
It's simply the greatest thing. It's a similar feeling to the 2020 championship. Winning such an important title for the first time with a club is really something very special.
For some time now, your team has been rated on a par with the absolute top teams. How important is the measurable proof of this quality?
It's always been important to us that we consistently settle in first among the top four and then among the top two nationally. We wanted to be there when it mattered, despite all the difficulties that can be part of a season. We know that we have the quality, and also that on a good day titles like this can be part of it. The most important thing for us is to establish ourselves as one of the best teams nationally and internationally. That gives us the self-confidence and the chance to play for the titles and even win them sometimes.
What does the first Champions League success mean to you for the club and also for you personally?
It's also my first Champions League title. That was also my dream, to win the Champions League one day. That means a lot to me, too.
In a few weeks' time, you could be facing Düsseldorf again with Saarbrücken in the Bundesliga playoffs. Is the new Champions League winner now automatically the favorite?
Everything has to be played first. But everyone will be hot to win against us. But I still don't think we'd be favorites in a game against Düsseldorf. We'll do our job and then see how far it can go for us.