Looking up

Pure joy: Gebre Selassie, Di Santo & Co. are still in the European hunt after beating HSV (photo: nph)
First Team
Monday, 20.04.2015 / 16:31

After perhaps having to pinch yourself when looking at the table on Sunday night, the realisation now is that, no, it wasn't a dream. After winning 1-0 in the northern derby...

After perhaps having to pinch yourself when looking at the table on Sunday night, the realisation now is that, no, it wasn't a dream. After winning 1-0 in the northern derby, Werder are now seventh in the table and within touching distance of the Europa League. "The table doesn't lie. We fully deserve to be where we are," said Thomas Eichin.

Just like the rest of the team, the sporting director was delighted with the passion showed as Bremen claimed a hard-fought victory. "We're thrilled to have picked up three big points. Now we're in the spot we've been eyeing for some time. We shouldn't blow things out of proportion though; we have to take it step by step, week by week," added Eichin. Manager Viktor Skripnik was also enthusiastic after Sunday's victory, and is now looking up. "Being seventh is incredible. Now we're more looking at what Augsburg, Dortmund and Hoffenheim are doing rather than HSV or Stuttgart," said the Werder boss.

The players enjoyed the moment after the final whistle but will carrying on working hard for European football (photo: nph)

The focus for Fritz, Di Santo & Co. during the 90 minutes though remained on their northern neighbours. "I was never thinking about seventh place. Getting the victory was all that was on my mind. However, once you get there, you don't want to give it up. We will have to work hard to make it happen and pick up the necessary points over the coming games," said captain Clemens Fritz.

The first thing teammate Franco Di Santo felt was relief: "We're happy that our Bundesliga status is no longer on the line. Now we can go into the final matches without any stress. We have to pick up points step by step," explained Bremen's top scorer. The next "tough match" awaits against Paderborn: "They are fighting against relegation and will no doubt give everything they've got. We have to focus on ourselves, just like in the build-up to the derby - that worked well. We will train hard right up until 23rd May so that we can end the season as best we can."

What comes at the end of it, only the next weeks will reveal. After all, there are six-pointers against Dortmund and Frankfurt still to come for Werder. The Argentine striker made one thing absolutely clear though: "Fighting for Europa League qualification is absolutely worth it."

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