Hummels: 'Even in training, I'm motivated to win'

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bundesliga.com: Your friendly games have also been very successful, including a 4-1 win over Bundesliga rivals Eintracht Frankfurt. Do you prefer playing evenly-matched opponents or easier ones in warm-up matches?

Hummels: I'm a big fan of facing tough opponents in warm-up games. As a defender, it basically puts me to the test more. Easy friendlies, which maybe you win 15-0, are not so great. If you were to ask one of our forwards, then maybe they would say the opposite (smiles). Overall, though, you can't read too much into friendly games. The win over Frankfurt was good, of course, but it doesn't have any real significance.

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Hummels: Of course our primary aim is to remain in the hunt in all three competitions for as long as we can. We've got two tough draws in the DFB Cup and the Europa League, but at the same time they're ties we can look forward to. If we get through them, then we can be happy with what we've achieved. As for the Bundesliga, we want to defend second spot at all costs and increase our advantage over the teams behind us.

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bundesliga.com: You like to measure yourself up to the best. If the whole team were to do that, would that mean you would be looking at FC Bayern München?

Hummels: Bayern are always a good example, or a role model, and I don't just mean in the current season. They've been playing at an incredibly high level since 2012, and doing so consistently. I reckon they are up there with Barcelona and Real Madrid as one of the three best teams in the world. You've just got to respect them. That doesn't mean we've got to be afraid of them, though. Over 90 minutes, you've got to stand up to them and make them realise that you can also beat them.

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