The Champions League is, in terms of club football, the most prestigious one. And if you don't win it you will never be named one of the greatest teams, no chance.

I came to Dortmund from a relatively small team and I struggled during my first six months to find my place there. I was a bit shy and, to be honest, I wasn't brave enough do certain things. But thanks to the help of my team-mates, and with the help of Jurgen and his staff, too, I managed to improve.

It's become the norm that a player who has another year on his contract period has a decision between separation or extension.

If we lose and someone is better than us then we accept it. Handshake after the game and well done and focus on the next game. But if we lose and don't play the style of football we want to play then we know it's our fault and we can do it better.

The elite footballers of one country meet at the national team and it's an honour for me to be among them.

Jurgen Klopp is more the emotional one and someone who can motivate really well. Pep Guardiola is more tactical, who always takes care of details and wants to show you how to do everything. Both are world-class managers and both have their own qualities. Both are amazing personalities.

I dream of winning the Champions League title with Manchester City and a title with Germany.

Rehab is always up and down for the mind and for the body.

I prefer to get my own picture of people and Pep was the main reason that I moved to City. I am very happy with how things have gone, both personally and in a sporting sense.

I liked to watch Kaka very, very much. The way he played with tremendous pace with the ball at his feet, he just left opponents behind. Watching him was a feast for the eyes.

When I am 32, 33 and I realise that I can't keep my level or it is dropping, it will be a stop abroad where you might not play at the highest level and not keep up with Premier League.

Everyone told me the Premier League is the hardest. So I just wanted to try because I had nothing to lose.

Coach education in Germany is actually very good, but I do not understand why many coaches do not have the guts to push through an idea when they have lost two or three times.

That's why I don't want to know the questions before, when I give interviews whether TV or print. I don't want to prepare myself for what I will answer.

Pep Guardiola tactically brings a gift that is second to none in the world.

I am convinced that you should always play the way you want to play and success will then come on its own - as long as it's a good philosophy.

Iniesta makes the game look easy, but it's not. On the contrary, it's very difficult. I don't think people appreciate it enough when they watch him on TV. He played brutal passes and was always flawless - it felt like he was floating. For simplicity, there is no better player than Iniesta.

Playing for Pep has certainly lived up to the expectations. I knew him from the Bundesliga and saw him coaching Barcelona when everyone saw an excellent manager who is able to get players to improve. He is a great personality and a very nice guy.

Because of our Turkish roots, we still have a very strong relationship with Turkey.

Even though we are at the top level, we all make mistakes. We play the game, and mistakes are part of the game.

In football, you never know. There could be one or two injuries that crop up and you may be needed so I always try to prepare myself as though I will be playing in the next game or that I need to be available - that's my philosophy, even when I'm not 100 per cent.

I enjoy playing at Manchester City.

Kun Aguero is an amazing player. He has scored so many goals and he does a great job.

I think in the title race it's crucial to be defensively as solid as possible.

You shouldn't want to imitate people if it doesn't fit with your own style.

Pep is at a very high tactical level. A teacher who wants to know every detail of the game.

Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp, Thomas Tuchel, Joachim Low... How many players can say they've had coaches like them?

There was a guy I found incredible in training. A player I thought 'What is he doing? Is he only 18 or 19?' That player was Mario Gotze. He did things in training that made me think 'Wow. If he doesn't make it all the way to the top then I don't know!'

Ballack had a certain level of aggression in his game, and a strong mentality.

I think struggles are part of our profession. And it's always about overcoming these kind of moments.

The Champions League is one of the biggest club stages you can reach and I think for players it is an honour to be part of it. It certainly is for me. You just enjoy being a part of it playing against the best clubs in Europe.

I had four fantastic years with Jurgen. We won a lot of things together, we lived through many different experiences together, we had our lows, too.

I feel privileged to have grown up in Germany so it was a heavy blow for me to be portrayed as somebody who isn't integrated and who doesn't live his life according to German values.

Everyone has his or her own opinion and I always welcome criticism. That's why we have freedom of expression and that's also what I stand for - but I won't stand for insults.

In a World Cup every single game is important; you are not allowed to make mistakes, not allowed to fail. If you want to win, you have to be there every game.

To be honest, I'm not really into politics.

I take care of who I am and what I do, treating people in the nicest way possible and everything comes back in life.

There are people who look up to me, but the young Muslim kids, especially in Germany, they also need those closest to them to show them a good path, give them targets in their life. I grew up with a lot of these kids and they didn't have the support I had from my family or friends. Not just in terms of football, but everything else.

I have had almost only positive experiences in Germany. I want to be very clear about that.

I am still a big fan of Jogi Low, and not just in terms of the sporting side of things. This applies to his character, his leadership qualities and his humanity.

I believe in life's challenges and I always try to challenge myself.

If I don't get out of my comfort zone, I will never change and never improve.

I had four great years with Jurgen and I like him as a person and as a coach.

I wanted to leave Dortmund in Dortmund and not think about spending time with Jurgen when I chose a new club. That was partly a reason for me not to go to Liverpool.

In my opinion, he has very special abilities. He has talent and he always manages to show it on the pitch. He always has the instinct to make the right decision. He uses his speed well against the opponents he plays. He has a strong finish. All in all, no one else has as much quality as Lionel Messi.

Cristiano Ronaldo is the world class player after Messi, but for me he is not on this Galactico level of Messi.

I do not want people to forget me.

That is the most difficult thing: to feel that you are useless, not worth as much as before, not worth as much as the others.

If we are quite defensive and we lose the ball, we just try to get back into our positions and try to defend. That's something you have to do from time to time.

The Champions League is maybe the most prestigious competition in the game and if you don't win it, as much as we are a great team, you feel like there's always something missing.