bundesliga.de presents the coachs’ take on matchday 24.
Hamburger SV - Borussia Dortmund
Coach Huub Stevens (Hamburger SV): We started off playing with a lot of concentration and we executed well. Unfortunately, we didn’t take advantage of our opportunities and had some bad luck hitting the posts. We were not fresh in the second half and that was a problem. Our goal was to come away with three points. We did that, and so I’m satisfied.
Coach Thomas Doll (Borussia Dortmund): All and all, HSV deserved the victory. We were unable to control the ball in the first half. We were also too sluggish. We came back into the match in the second half, but unfortunately it was precisely in this good phase that we gave up a goal. Our defensive play was weak at that moment.
Hannover 96 - Arminia Bielefeld
Coach Dieter Hecking (Hannover 96): We didn’t play well in the first half. It was clear we had problems because of the changes that had to be made due to injuries. After the half, we were able to straighten ourselves out and we risked a lot there. If we can build on that, things will soon take an upward turn.
Coach Michael Frontzeck (Arminia Bielefeld): We can’t play much better than we did in the first half. It was a nearly perfect away match in the first half. Unfortunately, we didn’t capitalise on the chances the way we could have. After the half, Hannover put a lot of pressure on, so that the result at the end is what both teams deserve.
Energie Cottbus - Bayern München
Coach Bojan Prasnikar (Energie Cottbus): We were under a lot of pressure. We made a lot fewer mistakes today and we played our hearts out. The first goal was a big push for us. Afterward, we played in a tight formation and finally made fewer mistakes at midfield. I have to complement my players. They will gain a lot of self confidence from this match.
Coach Ottmar Hitzfeld (Bayern München): Cottbus deserved to win. Cottbus played their hearts out, played the way you have to play when you’re facing relegation. I’m disappointed with the performance of my team, especially with the way they lost. We were asleep for the first 20 minutes. We didn’t attack. We ran more behind the opponent instead of the other way around. Today, we did practically everything wrong that you can do wrong in a football match. It was a raven-black day for my team. It’s possible that some players believed the path to the championship would be a walk in the park.
VfL Bochum - VfB Stuttgart
Coach Marcel Koller (VfL Bochum): It was an intense match, in which we earned a deserved draw against the Bundesliga champions. The goal we allowed shouldn’t have happened. We weren’t aggressive enough in this situation.
Coach Armin Veh (VfB Stuttgart): Bochum were better up till the score to make it 1-0, but after that we played good football. We showed that we stepped our game. After the equaliser, both teams wanted to win. The draw was deserved.
Karlsruher SC - Eintracht Frankfurt
Coach Edmund Becker (Karlsruher SC): We played poorly. I have to be up front about that. We were unable to pressure Eintracht and cause them problems. Frankfurt deserved to win.
Coach Friedhelm Funkel (Eintracht Frankfurt): I have to give my team a huge compliment. We were very good postionally and closed down the lanes to stop the opponent from getting any scoring opportunities. But I still was worried about giving up a goal right down to the final whistle.
Hansa Rostock - Hertha BSC Berlin
Coach Frank Pagelsdorf (FC Hansa Rostock): That was a very tough match. You could really see why Hertha has been regarded as one of the best teams in the past few weeks. I’m disappointed about the goal taken away in the first half. We were ripped off for the fifth time this season. If the situation is so clear, than you have to have the chance to use video review.
Coach Lucien Favre (Hertha BSC Berlin): I can live with this one point. The play by the team was okay. The passing was lacking in the end. We had to be careful though, because Rostock was dangerous through out the match. It’s tough to beat this kind of team.
Fridays matches:
Schalke 04 - MSV Duisburg
Coach Mirko Slomka (Schalke 04): It was hard for us to find any holes to slip through. After falling behind, the fans of course got riled up. In the second half, we did everything we could to turn the match around, and it worked.
Coach Rudi Bommer (MSV Duisburg): In the first half, the team played very well. We kept moving forward, and that’s how the goal came about. In the first 20 minutes of the second half, we did little and Schalke upped the pressure. Maybe we were a little out of gas. In the last 20, 25 minutes we should have played with more boldness.
Ottmar Hitzfeld Favours 6+5
“We can handle the pressure”
Dortmund extend unbeaten run