Psycho thriller ends in "most beautiful loss"

After a wild finish in Genua, the Green-Whites were able to celebrate moving on
First Team
Wednesday, 25.08.2010 / 13:57

Klaus Allofs had sweat on his brow but was beaming, laughing relieved and asked with a smirk: "Was that really a loss? Then it was the most beautiful loss you can imagine. We are...

Klaus Allofs had sweat on his brow but was beaming, laughing relieved and asked with a smirk: "Was that really a loss? Then it was the most beautiful loss you can imagine. We are through again!" said the Werder Bremen manager. Following their dramatic showdown with Genua, Werder are back in the Champions League for the sixth time in the seven years since the double.

 

Just like in previous Champions League qualifications against Basel and Zagreb, the Green-Whites really needed to have strong nerves. And Werder unbelievably reached another level of excitement this time. "The drama was beautiful but also very nerve-racking. It meant quite a lot. There’s about a 10 million euro difference compared to the Europa League. It would have pushed back our development if we didn’t get that money," admitted Allofs.

 

Just how meaningful the game was was clear also by the gestures after the final whistle by head coach Thomas Schaaf who hugged and congratulated every individual player. "Of course, we got past a very strong opponent, so we are ready for the Champions League. But it seems like we only get things done in spectacular fashion. The team had already given up everything they had but still came back. In the first 20 minutes we did everything wrong which could go wrong. We didn’t find our rhythm until the second half. There I had the feeling that opposed to Genua we could physically give a little more. And we were very dominant in the extra time."

 

Allofs is certain that the Green-Whites’ positive thinking was a key to success in the thriller. "It was clear that the third goal also didn’t mean anything. If we scored a goal then we were back in the game. And I believe everyone knew that. If you think differently, if you think negatively, then something negative happens as well. If you can’t think positively in critical situations then you shouldn’t be on the pitch. I had the impression that we believed in ourselves until the final second. And the goal just somehow came about. We did have some good chances before that," said Allofs.

 

Vice captain Per Mertesacker also spoke of a huge success. "It’s super that we did it. The Champions League is better than anything else. And every player thinks that. You want to get there," said the defensive ace. And the happy Marko Marin added: "For the first time in months I was on the pitch the whole game. You can’t just come in and it clicks. But it was very clear to see that things got better for us and for me over the course of time. I became more dangerous with my spurts and I was more confident. The dribbling worked and the assist to Claudio. Unfortunately I didn’t score a goal myself because the ball hit the crossbar and the post. It was just a matter of inches," said Marin.

 

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