Draxler: 'Everything here for a good preseason'

Julian, how have you enjoyed the Asia Summer Tour so far?
“At the start, it was a little difficult to acclimatise. I was in Los Angeles, then Paris, and now finally Singapore. It was hard to get to sleep last night, but now things are going better. The working conditions are very good here, the training pitch is great… We have everything here to work well.”

Have you seen much of Singapore yet?
“I have seen a bit of the Singaporean culture, especially the cooking. We tasted a few local delicacies last night. I liked them… not everybody did though… But we’re first and foremost to work hard, but also visit Singapore. It’s really nice. It’s great to have all the local supporters, here and everywhere in Asia. It’s very important for the club and makes us very happy.”

After the International Champions Cup 2018, it’s time for the first competitive match of the season and the Trophée des Champions…
“Obviously we won’t be 100%, but there’s a trophy to win, so we will be giving it everything. Monaco are a very good side, but we are Paris Saint-Germain, so we have to win. I think it will be a good match.”

How did you experience the World Cup?
“The World Cup is always very special. But it’s hard for me to talk about Russia. We didn’t play well and we were very disappointed with our results. But it’s over now. I was very happy for my friends Kylian, Alphonse and Kim, who is my best friend. I hope it won’t go to his head because he’s already a bit crazy. Now he’s world champion… But seriously, I hope he is back with us soon. I know what it means to win the World Cup – it’s fantastic. Now a new season is starting and we need all three of them in top form.”

And you have a German coach now in Thomas Tuchel…
“Obviously it’s easier for me to communicate with the coach now. He’s German now, like me. He’s a very good coach, very ambitious. I spoke with a few of my Germany teammates from Dortmund. I think he’s the right man for the job here at Paris Saint-Germain. And meeting Buffon? When you get to say hello for the first time, it was a very special moment for me. He has won everything in his career… He’s a legend!”