Max, we’re sitting here on a warm day in Sotogrande. In Freiburg, it’s snowing. If you could choose, do you prefer it warm or wintery?

I prefer it a bit warmer. It’s actually perfect here – not too hot, but warm enough for shorts and a T-shirt.

Skiing, sledging, ice-skating – are you not a fan?

I used to go skiing with my family a lot. I haven’t been able to do that over the last few years sadly because of football. When I see pictures of the snowy Black Forest, I always think that it would be cool to go on a skiing holiday with my family again.

There could maybe have been time for that over the winter break – though the phrase ‘winter break’ is actually a bit misleading. You only had a few days off. Did you still manage to relax somewhat?

It was just great to celebrate Christmas with my family. My aunt and uncle came to visit, which I really enjoyed. And I also went to Paris for three days with my girlfriend. Even though there wasn’t much time, I could still switch off and relax.

Can we take ‘switch off’ literally? Or are you the kind of guy who turns on the TV to watch the Premier League Boxing Day matches or the World Darts Championship?

Particularly in Paris, we were on the move a lot and my girlfriend isn’t quite as completely obsessed with football. I just sometimes used the good reception on the Métro there to look at my phone and check what was going on in the world of sport.

Let’s look back to exactly a year ago. You were unable to play because of patellar tendinitis and could often be found working alone at the gym in Haid. How do you look back on this period?

A year ago, I was in the middle of recovering with knee exercises and wasn’t really close to getting back out on the pitch. My time at the gym was good for me to have some time to myself, clear my head and work hard. That means that I know how much of a privilege it is to be here with the team in Sotogrande every day and to be able to play football with the lads on the pitch.

You played your first games for the second team at the end of last season and have become a Bundesliga player this campaign. That sounds like some lightning-fast development. Has it all been a whirlwind for you?

When you put it like that, it sounds incredible to an outsider, and in the summer, even I didn’t think I was going to play so often so quickly. At its core, I look at my journey as a process over a number of years, and even the injury maybe allowed me to take a step forwards. I’ve worked a lot on the mental aspects and also bulked up physically. I can be pleased with my progression so far, particularly over the last few months of course.

What sticks in your memory in particularly from your first half-season in the Bundesliga?

Making my debut in the opening game against Stuttgart was very special. I’m Freiburg born and bred, so games against VfB were always a bit more hotly anticipated, even at youth level. A derby win to kick off the Bundesliga season was obviously particularly special. Playing at the Allianz Arena was also a dream come true for me.

You also extended your contract. For us in the media department, it was a relief because we’d previously had to answer questions every few days about whether there was any truth in the ‘Rosenfelder to Club XYZ’ rumours. Thank you for that. I assume the reason you decided to extend wasn’t just to make our work easier…

That also all happened very quickly, because I’d only just signed an extension in the summer. This extension is for me a confirmation that I’m on the right path and at the right club. I just feel so at home here and I never wanted to consider any other options. When the offer came, it was a no-brainer for me to accept it.

Let’s now talk about the team. SCF are on 24 points at the start of the new year. How would you sum up the first half of the season on the pitch?

It’s been really good. We had that change of head coach in the summer and managed the transition seamlessly. Going out of the Pokal was the low point and hurt a lot. We can be happy with how it’s gone in the Bundesliga though, and we’re not technically halfway through the season yet…

You’ve got a busy week of matches straight after the training camp. Have you already thought ahead to the games at home to Kiel and away to Frankfurt and Stuttgart? They all pose very different challenges…

We only have less than a week here in Sotogrande to prepare. Even though we don’t have much time, the training camp is a good thing. It’s even more intensive than a normal week in Freiburg, when everyone goes back home after training. Here, the team are spending a lot of time together, and we’ll be well-prepared for the upcoming games.

And don’t you also need some time to unpack and assemble cupboards at home? As if it wasn’t already an exciting enough time, you’ve also just moved house…

It’s a furnished apartment. I just need to collect some stuff from my parents’ house and take it from Rieselfeld to Wiehre. It shouldn’t be too much effort.