He visited the MHP Arena as an opposition player last season, but now Dzenan Pejcinovic will be donning the famous white and red shirt himself. In his first interview as a VfB player, the striker reflected on the past few days, explained the reasons behind his transfer from VfL Wolfsburg and revealed what matters most to him off the pitch.
A warm welcome to VfB Stuttgart, Dzenan. How excited are you to be a VfB player?
Dzenan Pejcinovic: “I think I still need a few days for it to sink in. Everything has happened very quickly over the past two or three days. I packed my bags immediately and obviously made my way to Stuttgart as quickly as possible. I can hardly wait to get started in earnest.”
Why did you decide to join Stuttgart?
Pejcinovic: “I found out that VfB were interested in me at the end of last season. It quickly became clear to me and my family that this was a move I wanted to make. After that, I had very good, honest discussions with Fabian Wohlgemuth and Sebastian Hoeneß. They both made a positive impression on me, which is why it was an easy decision for me in the end.”
What are you looking forward to most at VfB?
Pejcinovic: “First and foremost, I’m looking forward to the MHP Arena. Playing in a sold-out stadium every week is obviously a big deal for a player. I’m also looking forward to getting to know my new team-mates and settling in quickly.”
Dzenan Pejcinovic :
I’m looking forward to the MHP Arena. Playing in a sold-out stadium every week is obviously a big deal for a player.
How have you been following VfB during this fairly successful period over the past few years?
Pejcinovic: “When we played against VfB [with Wolfsburg], they were a strong side with and without the ball. That’s why this wasn’t a difficult decision for me, as I knew I wanted to play here and be successful as a team.”
What do you recall from last season’s game against us?
Pejcinovic: “VfB were clearly the better side in that match, and we deserved to lose. VfB’s performance surprised me – it blew me away. It has been a dream of mine to play for a team like that, so I’m obviously thrilled I was able to make that dream come true.”
On the pitch, your job is to put the ball in the net. What are you like off the pitch?
Pejcinovic: “I’m very laid back. All I need are a few good cafés and one or two good Italian restaurants (laughs). I think I can find my way around a city pretty easily, particularly one as nice as Stuttgart.”
