Humble and with a low profile, as can also be seen on his social networks, Fabio Chiarodia has long since abandoned pre-match rituals, except for putting on his left boot first before the right one. For him, every match has the same importance, and he prepares it with the same care, but without giving up pasta as his daily food.
In perfect Italian, proof of the fact that he grew up talking in his mother tongue on a daily basis, the defender ranges from his recent memories with the under-21 side to current events with his club team.
You were born and raised in Germany in an Italian family. How did you come to play directly in the Azzurri youth team?
"I was 14 years old, and I was in the Werder Bremen youth team. An Italian scout who was orbiting Germany spoke to my parents, proposing that I play for the Italian under-15 team. I immediately said yes, it was a dream for me to play for Italy."
What ties you to Italy?
"It's a country I used to come back to every summer for holidays, but it was my father who passed on the passion for the Azzurri to me. He is from Veneto and also speaks a lot of dialect, while with my mother, I speak more Italian; she is from Friuli."
Do you follow any teams in Italy?
"Dad also passed on to me his passion for Juventus, as well as the Azzurri national team."
In the many Italy-Germany matches you saw on TV, who did you cheer for?
"I've always cheered, and I cheer for Italy. Always."
Between Giorgio Chiellini and Mats Hummels, who are you more inspired by?
"Chiellini, of course! (laughs). I also met him, and he was spectacular. Then we are both left-footed, although perhaps, in style of play, I am more like Bonucci, as I like to set the action more. But Chiellini played for Juve for I don't know how many years, as well as for the national team, so obviously he's a top player, and I take a lot of inspiration from him."
Maybe you'd like to follow in his footsteps at Juve too?
"(Laughs) That remains to be seen, also because in one's career one has to make the best decisions for oneself. It's still early to think about something like that."
This is your third season in the Bundesliga. In the last one, you scored your first pro goal just like Chiellini, a header from a corner...
"Yes, then it was after just five minutes if I'm not mistaken. And it was a 1-0, the important kind. It was a unique emotion, also because my whole family was in the stadium. An incredible joy."
As a defender, do you prefer to anticipate or make a big tackle?
"Anticipation perhaps serves the team better to get going immediately, but a tackle indeed transmits a lot of adrenaline. It's almost like a goal."
On Saturday, your Borussia Monchengladbach have an important challenge at home to Wolfsburg, in light of the relegation battle...
"There are four games to go, and we want to win them all, regardless of the rivals. But it's clear that this match is very important for us: it's a bit like a first little final."
Have you already studied your rivals?
"I always do, regardless of the strength of the rival. In front of them, there will be important players, among them (Christian) Eriksen, who has a lot of quality and showed it at Inter."
This year, you also had a muscle injury that kept you out for almost four months. How did you deal with it?
"I can say it was definitely a learning period. I had to work a lot on my own, both with an athletic trainer and a mental coach. And, paradoxically, I think it was an important and positive period, because I learnt a lot. It was my first injury, so it was the first time I knew what life was like without football. But it helped me to forge myself, and in the gym I put on five to six kilograms of muscle."
In Gladbach, the assistant coach is Oliver Neuville, a World Cup finalist in 2002. What's he like?
"I have a very good relationship with him, because we always talk in Italian. He grew up in Switzerland, so he also speaks Italian, as well as many other languages. And even though he is obviously more specialised in coaching forwards, we are very close."
How do you approach an important match like the one at home to Wolfsburg?
"Honestly, like all the others, at least in terms of preparation. It will certainly be an important match for our goal. A final. And against them will also be a great in Eriksen, something that will motivate me to do well."
Until now, who has been the toughest opponent to mark?
"Harry Kane, because he is not only very technical but also very strong physically. I would say he is almost an exception in the world of centre-forwards. Then, as far as I'm concerned, before every game, I try to study the forwards I'll be facing. But playing against him is great."
What's the environment like in the under-21s?
"We are great, we are a good group. And it's a multicultural group. We often make jokes, especially with Filippo Mane, who plays at Dortmund. Sometimes I tell him that he has become too German for the way he behaves (laughs)."
Apart from him, there are also Samuele Inacio and Luca Reggiani at Dortmund. Do you meet up from time to time?
"Not really, even though I'm 100 km away. In my spare time, I go out with friends, little more. But next week I will have to challenge them, and it will be great."
Baldini will take over the senior national team in June, on an interim basis. And there are rumours that many of the under-21s could be called up...
"I don't know anything about that for now. Then it's obvious that playing for the senior national team is more than a dream. I think every Italian kid dreams of wearing that jersey. But it would be more than an honour."
They will, however, only be friendlies. Which means that you could still possibly be called up by Germany for the time being...
"My wish is to play for Italy. I've always thought about that."
The under-21 team seems to be a proper group, cohesive and multi-ethnic...
"Absolutely. And then we all speak Italian, even those who until two years ago were struggling because they hadn't grown up in Italy. And we're doing well."
Is Baldini a kind of father figure for you guys?
"He has a lot of experience and looks after not only the players but also the people behind the athletes. For example, when I was injured, he contacted me several times to find out how I was."
Is it true that you don't use mobile phones with him?
"Absolutely. At times when we're all together, for example, when having lunch or dinner, they're forbidden. And, honestly, it's better that way because that way we make a group and get to know each other."
You, then, have a very low profile; your Instagram account has very few postings.
"I hardly care about social media, also because sometimes one plays a bad game and posts on social media, and gets criticised."
Has Francesco Camarda, your contemporary, perhaps had too much pressure placed on him?
"I've never experienced all this attention, perhaps because I'm not a striker. But he is still very young, he has already made I don't know how many appearances in Serie A. I think he's on a good path, then in time he'll make himself even more valuable."
How did you experience Italy's elimination from the World Cup?
"I was in training camp with the under-21 team, and we were all very disappointed. It was a great pain to miss a third World Cup in a row. But now we have to go to the European Championship."
The 2027 European Championship for your under-21 team, on the other hand, is not far off...
"We still have to qualify (laughs). I'm not superstitious, but we still have to qualify mathematically."