The relief after getting the first win of the season could be felt all around the stadium. The coaching staff fell into each other's arms, managing director Thomas Eichin...
The relief after getting the first win of the season could be felt all around the stadium. The coaching staff fell into each other's arms, managing director Thomas Eichin...
The relief after getting the first win of the season could be felt all around the stadium. The coaching staff fell into each other's arms, managing director Thomas Eichin punched the air and the players raised their arms in celebration. The well-deserved 2-1 win over Champions League side Borussia Mönchengladbach means that everyone goes into the international break satisfied. As well as the all-important three points, the club enjoyed Santiago Garcia's return to the starting XI and a first Bundesliga goal for new signing Aron Jóhansson.
WERDER.DE heard the reactions to the game and have rounded up the most important quotes:
On the game:
Viktor Skripnik: "I'm very proud of my team, and extremely pleased with the win over a good team. We respected Gladbach, but we didn't fear them. The boys fought hard, grafted and deserved the win out there today. Without this kind of commitment you can't win in the Bundesliga"
Thomas Eichin: "I'm very pleased with the effort put in by the team today, it was a great showing. What we lacked in our first game against Schalke we brought all of to the game today."
Clemens Fritz: "The win really was well-deserved today. We were alert from the first whistle until the last, defended well from the front, covered a lot of ground and were strong in the tackle. We all played for one another and didn't let Gladbach into the game. The only criticism would be that we didn't kill the game sooner."
Aron Jóhansson: "This feeling couldn't be any better. It was my first start in the Weser Stadium, we picked up three points against a top team. I'm also happy to have scored my first goal in a Werder top."

Jannik Vestergaard: "When the referee blew for full time, I was very relieved. We should have put the game to bed earlier, no question. We still deserved the win, though. We were particularly strong in the 50-50 challenges and tackles, that's how we got into the game. Against a team like Gladbach, you have to give everything. We did give everything and were rewarded for our efforts."
Anthony Ujah: "We know our strengths. We improved massively from our defeat to Schalke and came out deserved winners against a Champions League side. Aron and I are linking up better in our attacks every day. I'm very pleased about this."
Fin Bartels: "Our determination won us the game. Everyone worked their socks off from start to finish. We need to carry on like this in the coming weeks. It's a shame I wasn't able to take my chance. That would have killed the game. Luckily our two goals were enough in the end."
On the season so far:
Viktor Skripnik: "I'm pleased with how we've started. Four points is a decent tally when you consider the teams we've played against. Now we will make the most of the break in order to return against Hoffenheim in two weeks' time and put in another good performance."
Thomas Eichin: "We even showed some good football against Schalke. But in the Bundesliga it's all about the result. In Berlin we got off the mark with our first point, and today I can only praise the team. We overcame a strong Gladbach outfit, and I'm pleased we've got our first win in the bag ahead of the international break. We're on target with four points."
Clemens Fritz: "We took our first real steps of the season in Berlin. Today was a leap forward. If we continue to work hard like this from game to game then we'll keep picking up important points. To win before the international break was very important. It will make for a much better mood in our next training sessions."

Jannik Vestergaard: "It was important for us to leave for the international break on the back of a win. We've kept improving over the first three games. It gives us great confidence ahead of our game in Hoffenheim. We will work hard over the next fortnight in order to get our next win there."
On Gladbach's goal just before the break:
Clemens Fritz: "That was obviously a talking point in the dressing room, we were furious about it in the half-time break. What made it all the more frustrating, was that we gave them nothing up until then. But I must give the team tremendous credit for staying positive and not letting it influence us. After the break, we started where we left off before their goal.
Viktor Skripnik: "Gladbach's goal was an unnecessary and annoying one to concede. But I was still pleased with the first half and told the players that we needed to keep a clean sheet in the second half, and desperately needed to get another goal. Thankfully we were successful. The team showed real character.
On set pieces:
Jannik Vestergaard: "I'm obviously very pleased with myself about the goal. We practiced set pieces all week and knew we could cause the opposition trouble with them at any time. A lot of praise should go to the coaching staff, who practiced a variety of set pieces with us and today it resulted in a goal.
Thomas Eichin: "Everyone knows that set pieces can determine the outcome of a game. Last season we scored from a lot of them. That made it even nicer to score from one again today."
