Silva: "Lewandowski always knows where he needs to be"

Lewandowski set a new Bundesliga scoring record last term with 41, leaving Silva a distant second with 28. The pair are set to go head-to-head once again in 2021/22 for the coveted Torjägerkanone, with Silva revealing in an exclusive interview with bundelsiga.com that he is eager to spearhead Leipzig's challenge for the league title.

Andre Silva on...

... last season with Eintracht Frankfurt and finishing second in the scoring chart behind Lewandowski:

"It's a little bit of a pity because I think I had a good season, a top season, achieving this at Eintracht and breaking the record [for most goals in a single Bundesliga season by a Frankfurt player]. And yes, Lewandowski scored 41 or something like this? It's completely different, the amount of goals. I think if he didn't play in the Bundesliga last year, I would have won. It would be amazing, but it's part of the process. He deserves it, of course. He's in great shape and that always gives me more motivation in my work and the rest of the players. It's good.”

Watch: Silva's Bundesliga highlights reel

...what makes Lewandowski so good:

"I think it's the amount of goals he scores. He knows the place he has to be and he doesn't miss the chance. The difference between the top players and average players is the amount of mistakes - it's not normal when he makes a mistake. So I think that's the difference. An average player make some mistakes, the top players have few. It happens to everyone but Lewandowski knows where he needs to be and he scores."

On how many goals he's looking to score this season with Leipzig:

"I don't have a number in mind. I think everywhere is different. I was playing at Eintracht, it was my second year there. Here it's my first year in Leipzig with a different team, a different coach, everything's different. So the only thing I can promise, the only thing I can do is work in the same way I worked last year, which was giving my best and trying to do the best that I can in the conditions that I'm in."

On his objectives for this season with Die Roten Bullen and their unique style of play:

"I think that football in general suits me, so I can adapt to different ways of playing. I always fit to them because I can adapt. I think in the world of football, there are always goals. So if there are these, I can adapt."

On whether his objective is simply to score goals:

"I think it's for everyone, the goal is to win. And to win, you need to score goals, so I think the most difficult job in football is to score. You can make it look easy, but I think it's the most difficult thing in football."

Watch: Silva's Portuguese roots

On the expectations on him from Leipzig and head coach Jesse Marsch:

"I think everything happens together. When we started at the beginning, the first thing was them showing that they believe in me and the amount of confidence they put in me. That we can create super things together. They showed me that the club motto is 'you can do anything'. My mindset is the same. I try not to put limits on myself. When we communicated it felt like everything linked, we can progress together and without limits. I think we can do anything we want."

On how it's been working with Marsch so far:

"We talk, we share ideas, we exchange ideas, and we try to understand. I think now I'm trying to adapt to everything and learn everything that he wants for the team. We're starting very well and the way that we work is always putting his ideas in the team. He wants more and more and more, and I think I love to work, so I think now is the beginning for this to happen."

On his reasons for joining Leipzig:

"I think it was everything. I think the final part was my word, because I decide my future, but it was also [down to] the coach, the project - they excite me - the directors that spoke with me, watching the team last year, the way that they play. Also the confidence they put in me and showing me that they believe me. I think you need to be where you're wanted, where they desire you. I think this makes more feeling better and better, so I think it was the biggest [factor in the] decision."

On whether it's an advantage for Leipzig that Bayern may need some extra time to get going after a number of changes over the summer:

"I think everything is different. Bayern are Bayern. We are Leipzig and everyone tries to do the best that they can. I think the best team in the end gets wherever they want, wherever they desire. We're trying to focus on our work. We're trying to focus on our training, our plans and our mentality. That's the biggest point because we need to look at ourselves and to try to get up without creating limits, without looking to the side, and always looking in front."