Lainer: “We were thinking of the fans”

Stefan Lainer spoke after Borussia picked up their first three points of the season in Saturday’s derby victory over 1. FC Köln.

Stefan, how would you sum up the 3-1 win in Köln?

Lainer: We’re very pleased, especially with the first half, which was really good. In the second half Köln tried to put more pressure on, and even more so in the final few minutes of the match. That’s when we started to slip up a little. Of course, it’s really nice to have a three-goal lead. If Köln had scored a second goal, then it could have got more exciting. Three points are really important for us – now we’ve properly started the season. A derby victory is a great feeling and gives everyone a boost for the coming weeks.

You scored the second goal to make it 2-0 with a header. Is it a special feeling to score in the Rhine derby?

Lainer: Scoring a goal is always special, and as a defender I don’t score many. It was a rehearsed move that we did with Zicko (assistant coach Alexander Zickler) which allowed me to be in space in the area. He always explains the runs he used to make and works on a lot of set piece routines with us. That worked out perfectly in the game. From such a narrow angle, the important thing is directing the ball somewhere towards goal, and if it bounces, that also causes more problems for the goalkeeper. Maybe I was a bit lucky that the ball went in, but of course I’m very happy with it.

As you said: with the first win of the season, you’ve properly started the new campaign…

Lainer: We’ve been asking ourselves how the home game against Union Berlin didn’t result in three points for us. The training during the week was very intense and focused, and everyone was working really hard. I think during the first half you could tell that everyone was on the ball, and that’s what you need if you want to get results like that. Therefore we can be proud of ourselves, but we also know that we have to keep it up.

Due to the pandemic only 300 fans were allowed in the stadium. However, at full time the team still went to celebrate in front of the away stand. Why?

 Lainer: The atmosphere at such a game with almost no fans was, shall we say, “extraordinary”, but we know that our fans would have been watching on television and celebrating. We were thinking of them and therefore went to the away stand as a fitting way of celebrating with them.

A derby win can give a team a big boost. Is the upcoming international break an inconvenience?

 Lainer: Perhaps it is a little, yes. But joining up with the national team on the back of a goal is a good feeling both for the team and on a personal level.