We gathered the reaction from the players and coaches after Sunday’s 5-0 win over Arminia Bielefeld.
Matthias Ginter: It was a very good performance. We had control of the game and the ball, and that made it difficult for Bielefeld. The goals were really well worked too, which I think was the key to our success. We’re seventh now. The maximum we can achieve this season is Europa League qualification. It won’t be easy to make up four points in three games, but we will give it our all. We also need to make sure we keep hold of seventh place to give us any chance of European football next season.
Denis Zakaria: I thought it was a really good game and we’re delighted with the three points. It’s always easier when you go two or three goals up early on, but we also led 2-0 at half time against Hoffenheim. We didn’t let up this time though and continued to put in a good performance. It’s still very close in the table, but we’re thinking one game at a time. Today was an important step in the race for Europe and we will continue to try and pick up all three points in every match. I’m feeling good personally and I’m getting back to 100 percent. We’re all very sad about Mams Doucouré’s injury. The whole club is behind him and we hope that he’s back healthy and with us again soon.
Marco Rose: The team played with real focus and desire from the off. We dealt with their man-marking in midfield well, got in behind, worked chances, grabbed an early goal and pushed on after that too. We kept going even after we were 3-0 up and never took our foot off the gas. We also managed to keep a clean sheet, particularly thanks to a brilliant save from Yann Sommer, and we could have scored even more goals. It was a quality and focused display throughout. The lads looked like they enjoyed themselves out there today and brought everything to the pitch that you need against a compact, defensively solid and aggressive team.
Bielefeld head coach Frank Kramer: That was a very painful defeat. We need to do everything we can to pick up points in our remaining games, and that wasn’t the case today. It was a day to forget. The game was already over after 18 minutes. We had a couple of chances in the second half to get a goal back, but it wasn’t to be. We can’t allow ourselves to play like that defensively. We weren’t at the races today and we were punished for it. We can’t let this happen again.
