First team 31.07.2026 - 16:18 Uhr
Fabio Gruber: “I’m just myself”
The 23-year-old German-Peruvian discusses his first training camp with Mainz, his mask and the reasons behind his decision to represent Peru.
Summer signing Fabio Gruber has had three rapid years behind him. At the start of the 2023/24 season, the 1.88-metre defender was still playing for FC Augsburg’s U23s in the Regionalliga Bayern. After excellent performances for SC Verl and, most recently, 1. FC Nürnberg, the German-Peruvian attracted the attention of several Bundesliga clubs. Since this summer, he has been part of Mainz 05’s squad and is getting his first taste of Bundesliga life during the current training camp. The 23-year-old spoke about his rapid rise, his new adventure and why he is particularly looking forward to facing Bayern Munich during a media round at the team hotel on Thursday evening.
The newly capped Peruvian national player spoke about...
...his first Bundesliga training camp: “You can definitely tell that the training here is at a higher level and has a different intensity. The heat doesn’t make things any easier either. For me, the training camp is a great opportunity to integrate into the team, both on and off the pitch.”
...his move: “Mainz always seem to make the right moves at the right time. Through this good work, the club has established itself in the Bundesliga. I also get the impression that the club always acts very calmly. Of course, my former teammate and Mainz boy Christian Mathenia also sold the club to me well. He embodies it in his own way, and the enthusiasm he radiates is really something special. Mainz have also managed to cause Bayern problems time and again in recent years, and personally I wouldn’t mind continuing that trend.”
...his character: “I’m just myself. I’m more of a quiet type and always need a bit of time to come out of my shell and settle in. Nevertheless, I’m obviously already trying to perform and show what I can do.”
...his mask: “A few years ago, I suffered several fractures in the midface area. I’d rather not have that happen again. But I still didn’t want to change my playing style. I continue to go into every challenge and I never pull out.”
...Urs Fischer as a coach: “He is definitely demanding, but also very supportive. He regularly reminds us of the key principles, and that helps enormously in terms of staying focused and always knowing what to do. He definitely has a different character compared to the coaches I had before.”
...his decision to play for Peru: “It has always been something close to my heart to play for my mother’s homeland. Peruvians are football-mad and were already mentioning me on social media before my professional career. Then, when things were going well in Nürnberg, the call came from the association, and now I’m very proud to represent this country.”
