Uaccelerated training. In a year and a half, the former Toulouse native from Lot-et-Garonne has already experienced almost everything with Stuttgart: the fight for the Bundesliga title and the discovery of the Champions League. A starter in the central defense of the German club, the child from Saint-Colomb-de-Lauzun (23 years old) is asking for more.
A year and a half after signing for Stuttgart, do you think you made the right choice?
The club's results indeed support this observation. While we thought we were fighting to stay, we finished vice-champion of Germany behind Bayer Leverkusen and ahead of Bayern Munich, which is not a small performance. This allowed us to qualify for the Champions League and experience a truly exciting new season.
You discovered the Champions League on Real Madrid's pitch. What memory do you have of this moment?
Paradoxically, I think this famous little music made me shiver more from my sofa than on the lawn (laughs). When we arrive on the pitch, we are already 200% focused and therefore we leave little room for emotion. Faced with this type of opponent, when you know that you are going to face very high level players, you are obliged to stay in your bubble to hope to be as efficient as possible.
When facing players as prestigious as those playing for Real, Bayern or Juventus, who impressed you the most?
Without hesitation, I would say Vinicius who is incredibly powerful and confusing with his dribbling. With Rodrygo, who we perhaps don't talk about enough, it's certainly what's strongest today on the offensive level. It goes very quickly. Technically, it is very strong and this ability to repeat efforts is incredible. A player like Harry Kane is much less complicated to mark but, in the area, if you take your eyes off him for a second, he will find the right area to score a goal.
“Saint-Colomb-de-Lauzun is truly my favorite club and remains my anchor point with reality”
What is, for the moment, your best memory of this 2024-2025 season?
The victory on Juventus' pitch in the Champions League (0-1). Although there are fewer major players than at one time, Juve remains a very great European team. Winning our first match of the season in this competition in Turin was a great emotion.
In the championship, the season is more difficult than the previous one (7e after 16 days). Do you pay for match rehearsals?
We are a team that is not calibrated to perform well in all competitions. We also have quite a few injured people and it is a small and inexperienced squad which must therefore face these various challenges. Everyone had to adapt to this pace that no one was used to. The injuries of a few executives were very detrimental to us.
Waldemar Anton, your captain last season, and Serhou Guirassy, who was your top scorer, left for Dortmund. Players like Enzo Millot, Angelo Stiller or Deniz Undav could quickly leave. Do you have the feeling of evolving, like at Toulouse FC, in a team that is constantly changing?
It is today's Football that requires squads to evolve very regularly. For economic reasons, we may have to be sold as was my case in Toulouse. You have to learn to live with that and try to remain as efficient as possible to achieve milestones and evolve in the best possible clubs.
Anthony Rouault: “I really like the Spanish championship which, I believe, corresponds quite well to my qualities. But I'm happy at the moment in Stuttgart and I'm having a blast in German football. »
Sébastien Maurès
Is there a championship that would appeal to you more than another?
I really like the Spanish championship which, I believe, corresponds quite well to my qualities. But I'm happy at the moment in Stuttgart and I'm having a blast in German football. It allows me to progress, particularly on a physical level, but also to discover a more total football than in France with other tactical challenges.
Do you still have time to follow the performances of Saint-Colomb-de-Lauzun?
Yes, I still follow them very closely. It's really my favorite club where my family and friends are. Although I can no longer go there as often as before, the bond remains as strong. This remains my anchor with reality and it is essential for me not to forget where I come from.
