Nico Elvedi discusses the 2-2 draw in Stuttgart, the bitter last-minute equaliser and the upcoming clash against Werder Bremen.
Nico, you were leading up until stoppage time yesterday, but only took a point home. How frustrating is that for you?
Elvedi: It’s a tough pill to swallow. We really wanted to bring three points home. And if you look at the game, knowing that it was a mistake that led to the goal, it hurts even more. Other than the first 15-20 minutes, we played well, which is why I think we would have deserved the win.
The penalty has created a lot of discussion after the game. What are your thoughts?
Elvedi: Obviously I didn’t really see it during the game, but even then, I felt like it wasn’t a foul. Had the referee pointed straight to the spot, then you can discuss whether it’s a right or wrong decision. But the fact the video assistant referee even looked at this is difficult for us to understand as players. But unfortunately, it happened, and it doesn’t change anything to get worked up now. We need to accept that, even if it’s difficult.
Why weren’t we able to kill the game off late on?
Elvedi: Stuttgart put us under a lot of pressure. We couldn’t get the ball under control. We also lacked the courage a little to go for it in attack. But we defended well and only conceded a couple of chances. But then unfortunately the equaliser fell in the final seconds.
Lars Stindl scored again and set up another. How important is the captain in the current situation?
Elvedi: Lars is extremely important for us. He’s actually irreplaceable for us right now. He leads on the pitch and always works hard for the team. He also scores lots of goals and is getting plenty of assists right now. We’re really happy to have him in the team.
The next test awaits on Tuesday. What are your expectations for the match against Bremen?
Elvedi: We need to move on from the Stuttgart game quickly and go again on Tuesday. It will definitely be a physical match. Bremen will give everything to get something from the game. But we haven’t been playing so badly recently. We want to build on this confidence. If we succeed in that and perform on the pitch, I’m convinced we’ll get the three points.
