Thomas Tuchel: 'An important tournament'

Coach, how is pre-season going?
The players have been working well for two weeks. There is a good atmosphere in the squad. There's intensity in the training sessions and our first pre-season friendly was approached in the right way and we got a good result too. It makes me happy to see them working like that. 

Five new players have come in. What do you expect of them?
They're humble players who are used to giving their all on the pitch. They're great pros. They're able to adapt to any situation. You can see Pablo and Ander have a big influence, especially when we lose the ball. They're very good at 'counter-pressing'. They're used to working at high intensity when the ball is lost in order to win it back quickly. That's exactly what you want from a player. Abdou Diallo is a young player who has played at Mainz and Dortmund, and he's French, that's important. He's a left-footer, and can play central defender or full-back.

We know the two youngsters, Marcin Bulka and Mitchel Bakker, a little less well. Are they ones for the future?
They're with the squad and it's a big step up for them. It's a pleasure to work with young players, to help them, and to see them adapt and evolve. It's not easy, that's why we're here and everyone helps them. There are also youth academy players in the squad, it's the same situation as with the two recruits and I like that. The youngsters don't always have the opportunity to train with us. For me, it's a chance to speak to them and help them so that they improve.

Were you happy with the attitude of your players in Dresden?
Yes, because it was a difficult challenge. Dresden play in the German second division, and I know that league, it's very difficult. They start their season in a week and that's why it wasn't easy. We played well tactically and with a lot of intensity. That was our goal. It led to a lot of chances and goals. We have a new test against Nuremberg on Saturday.

The squad will fly out to China on Tuesday. That'll be a chance to play some great fixtures and also to meet your fans!
This tournament is important for the team and the club. We'll have to adapt to the conditions to continue the players' preparation. It's good to play in front of our Chinese fans. We're going to do our best during the trip and this China Tour. I also hope to win our first trophy of the season in Shenzhen.

The Trophée des Champions is the short-term objective?
Yes, but for the moment, we're above all thinking about preparing ourselves well. In China, we're going to travel between three cities [Shenzhen, Macao and Suzhou]. We'll have to adapt to the conditions, and Rennes will also want to win the Trophée des Champions in Shenzhen.