“Dribble, create moves, make space“

Nemanja Radonjić discusses the reasons for moving to Hertha, his strengths on the pitch and his friend Marko Grujić.

Berlin – While Sami Khedira is a well-known ex-Bundesliga player, Hertha’s second winter signing has never played in Germany before. Nemanja Radonjić, a Serbia international, has joined the ‘Old Lady’. The winger has initially signed on loan from Olympique Marseille until the end of the season. “I first got the call on Sunday evening, but quickly made my mind up. I believe that the style of football in this league will play to my strengths,” said the 24-year-old. He spoke to herthabsc.de about the Bundesliga, his style of play and the contact he had with Marko Grujić.

herthabsc.de: Nemanja, welcome to the capital! What were the main reasons for you deciding to move to Berlin?
Radonjić:  Thanks! Things moved quite quickly in the end. I got the call on Sunday evening and quickly made my mind up. Hertha is a big club that can offer a player a good overall sporting package. I’m pleased to be here and I want to show my quality in Berlin and earn plenty of minutes.

herthabsc.de: You know former Herthaner Marko Grujić from the Serbian national team. Did you speak to him before making this move?
Radonjić: Marko was actually the first person I rang up after I found out that Hertha were interested in me. He only had good things to say about the club and the city, which confirmed my good feeling about it all.

herthabsc.de: After a few different clubs, you’re now in a new league. What are your first impressions of the Bundesliga?
Radonjić: The strength of the league is one of the reasons I decided to join Hertha BSC: I believe that the style of football in the Bundesliga – it’s played at a high tempo and there’s a lot of space – will play to my strengths. Now I hope that I can make a connection with the team in the next four days so that I am ready to potentially play against FC Bayern!

herthabsc.de: How would you describe your style of play?
Radonjić:  I’m a quick player and I like to make use of my speed. I like to dribble at opponents at pace, create moves and make space on the wings. I am two-footed, so I can play on both flanks and I obviously can defend when that’s required too.

herthabsc.de: You have already played in Romania, Italy, Serbia and France. How will your experiences at these clubs across Europe help you settle in at a new club?
Radonjić:  I have, yes. I was only young when I left my home country to play professional football. My experiences in the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Champions League have helped improve me as a footballer and given me more confidence, which then makes it easier to get used to a new club. Moving to a new place and a new club isn’t anything new to me, so I think I’ll settle into a great city like Berlin very quickly!

herthabsc.de: Do you have any nicknames? What do your teammates call you?
Radonjić:  Most of them called me ‘Nema’ in Marseille, although some said ‘Nado’. ‘Rax’ has also been used too in the past. It’s been a mix of the three really.

herthabsc.de: What do you like to get up to away from football?
Radonjić: One of my favourite hobbies is playing tennis. I love to watch my fellow Serb Novak Đjoković and I like trying to emulate him on the tennis court.