It all happened too quickly for the visitors from Berlin. Trainer Lucien Favre bemoaned: “It was a very high tempo game and we weren’t up to the pace. We were much too late going into the one-on-one situations...
It all happened too quickly for the visitors from Berlin. Trainer Lucien Favre bemoaned: “It was a very high tempo game and we weren’t up to the pace. We were much too late going into the one-on-one situations...
It all happened too quickly for the visitors from Berlin. Trainer Lucien Favre bemoaned: “It was a very high tempo game and we weren’t up to the pace. We were much too late going into the one-on-one situations and too late in aerial challenges. Werder proved today that they are one of the strongest teams in Germany.” Just as it was clear to Favre early on that his side would be taking nothing back from Bremen with them, it was equally clear to Klaus Allofs that this was going to be Werder’s day: “To be honest, we never really let them out of their own half of the pitch during the first period and it was clear to see early in the tie that this one was going to work out. I had a good feeling even when it was still 0-0 and when you then take the lead, everything starts to slot into place. The passes reach their intended destinations, the goals were scored at the right time and the guests had no chance to raise their hopes.”
But it wasn’t just the timing of the goals that was so perfect, it was also the execution – in particular considering the manner in which Diego and Claudio Pizarro marked their respective returns with impressive strikes. Firstly the Brazilian left many speechless with his technically astounding goal, which was still something special for him after the game: “It was a very intelligent pass from Mesut, I took on the ball and then turned it in with my weaker foot. It was certainly one of the best goals in my career. If it wins the ‘Goal of the Month’ competition I’ll be all the happier,” said the delighted Brazilian international, and added: “I intended to hit it that way, but I didn’t know how far the goalkeeper was standing off his line. Even if he’d been on his line I think he would have had problems.”
For Diego, the performance on Saturday was the perfect answer to the comments of all the critics in recent weeks – and also the reason for his emotional celebration, as he explained: “That was just my way of celebrating the goal. I was never really away but I can’t score two and provide three goals in every game. I am quite happy with my five goals and three assists at the moment.”
