Borussia Dortmund's new playmaker Mario Gotze is eager to face Bayern Munich in the German Super Cup.
Gotze, who completed his return to Dortmund last month after three years at Bayern, will be tested against his former club next weekend in the DFL-Supercup at the Westfalenstadion.
"I am ready and want to play as soon as possible," Gotze said at an introductory news conference on Monday that he shared with fellow new signing Andre Schurrle.
"Sunday is an important game that we really want to win. I hope the sporting aspect will take the main stage, even though it is obviously a special game for me."
After a largely unsuccessful spell at Bayern, Gotze, now 24, said if he had a choice now he would not have left Dortmund so early in his career.
"With the experience I have now, I would make the decision [to leave Dortmund] at a later stage, but I wanted to take the risk at the time and make the next step. Looking back at it, I would have made a different decision now."
Describing his return to Dortmund, Gotze said: "It feels both new and familiar at the same time. When I heard of the interest from Borussia Dortmund, I was only too happy to return to the club.
"I'm looking forward to what lies ahead and to having as many positive experiences as possible. It will definitely be a really, really great year. I know the city. I know the team and the club. There's a good environment here."
Schurrle joins Dortmund after a year at Wolfsburg, and he said he was happy to play alongside Gotze after years together with Joachim Low's Germany squad.
"We're very good friends," Schurrle said. "We speak about everything and try to drive each other on in the tougher times. I'm happy that we've developed such a good friendship."
And he was thrilled that Dortmund have a chance to take on Bayern at home on Sunday.
"I'm really excited," he said. "As an opponent you look forward to playing there. But now having the fans behind you, I imagine it must be great.
"I can hardly put my excitement into words. I feel like a small child."