Would you say this was the most difficult season by far for you in your career?
Yeah, I think so. Not only was a lot different and very complicated for me personally but it also wasn't easy for the team. A lot of important players were injured. We never found any consistency in our game. I have never experienced something like that. We did not belong where we ended in the end.
The season also affected Thomas Schaaf for sure...
For Thomas it was anything but easy because he hardly could play the same team two games in a row. I think we all acted a bit differently than usual. We all had enormous stress and had to work more intensively.
In the relegation fight, the team really concentrated on team building measures. Was that the key to success?
I think it was good to rely on team building in that kind of difficult situation. And it apparently worked. If you look at our record over the final 11 games, we only lost two matches. You have to give your all to be successful.
Torsten Frings will end his active career with Werder. That makes you the second oldest and longest-serving Werder player on the squad.
(Thinking) Am I really so old?
Experienced, not old! But will something change for you?
No, I don't think so. I will remain in my current role. If Thomas wants to give me other duties he has to decide. I would like to give the younger players some of my experience.
Read Part 2 of the Pizarro interview tomorrow. Claudio talks about his ambitions with the Peruvian national team, Schaaf's successor on the Werder coaching bench and the goals he definitely wants to achieve with the Green-Whites.