On Sunday, 1. FC Union Berlin take on Hamburg at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei. One player who won’t be available is Nicolai Rapp — the 22-year-old was sent off last week in Fürth and has incurred a two-game suspension. Nevertheless, there was an opportunity for Christian Arbeit to sit down with the composed defender to discuss his start at Union and his time at TSG Hoffenheim previously, alongside two current Union team-mates.

CA: Nicolai, for you personally the last game couldn’t have been more unfortunate. Tell us please how you saw the incident, where you were shown a red card.

NR: First of all, I have to say that I was happy to be in the starting line-up - against your former club it is always a special game. It came to this moment and I don't remember it very well, there was probably a technical mistake of mine before. Then I wanted to recover and stop the attack. That's what I did. The most important thing was that no goal came out of it, but for me and the team the red card was of course bitter. With the numerical advantage, we would have had better chances to turn this game around.

In a season that has been good for us, it’s been the case now for a few games that aren’t able to bring our best performance to the pitch. Have you experienced such a period in your career?

Yes, there have definitely been times like that for me. At Aue, for example, there were times when we couldn't win a few games in a row. Of course, it doesn't get any easier with every game, the pressure increases. You have to fight your way back as a team, stick together, first just win the battles again. You can then get back on track with a little sense of achievement.

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There [at Hoffenheim] you played with Joshua Mees and Grischa Prömel. You became an U19 German champion together with them. Was the fact that Mees and Prömel already played at Union a reason for you to join the club?

The fact that I already knew a few people made the decision much easier. When you meet old comrades, it's always nice. We do a few sayings about back then every now and then, that's part of it.

A while ago, we read what your former coach Julian Nagelsmann thought about you. What’s it like the other way round - how was your relationship with him?

Very good, I must say. I played under him for three years, the relationship was very good. We also became youth champions, which was the highest we could achieve at that time. I can only say good things about him.

Are you still in contact?

When I switched to Union, he wished me every success and told me to step on the gas. Every now and then people write to each other.

Funnily enough, you also got to know Robert Zulj in Fürth. You moved from Hoffenheim to Fürth on a loan deal. You made your debut for the club when you were subbed in for Robert. How did it go with him?

With him, too, I experienced only good things. At that time I was still very young, I gave my first professional assignments. It's great to have a player with your class in front of you. I learned a lot from him back then, we got along great. Today the relationship is even better.

You've been in Hoffenheim a long time. What do you think it was like for the club to be viewed critically by many football fans?

I didn't really care what the others said. For us players, it was about developing, performing, being successful. I also think that Hoffenheim's reputation has improved and the criticism has subsided. The club has arrived in the first league, in the professional business. As a young player, I didn't really notice any of this.