...Ömer Toprak: “Of course he’s only been with us for a week, so we need a bit more time to develop our chemistry with him. He is a very experienced player who’s calm on the pitch. He’s very strong in the tackle and wins almost every duel; however, it’s important that he listens to my commands.”
...the rule changes: “The aim of the game hasn’t changed; it is still my job to keep the ball out of the net. But of course the new rules could play to our advantage as we like to move the ball around quickly. At the same time, we need to be more alert because players no longer have to wait until they can close you down.”
...the goals conceded: “It’s not ideal. I would have rather we scored three more goals and won 4-3. We have analysed what we did wrong and are concentrating on the upcoming game in Hoffenheim.”
...the danger of a poor start: “We are determined to pick up points against Hoffenheim. However, we aren’t in a crisis, and the pressure isn’t big enough for us to start worrying.”
...the summer move: “My family are here now. We had to do a lot of planning but there are just a few things left for us to sort out now and then we can start enjoying family time together here in Bremen.”