“Quality makes the difference on the pitch”

SV Werder Bremen gave everything once again, but still fell to a 2-0 defeat against Borussia Dortmund on matchday 34 of the Bundesliga season. However, the focus on the final day of the season was not solely on the match itself, but also on reflecting on the campaign and bidding farewell. We gathered the post-match reactions following the game.

Head coach Daniel Thioune: “Overall, we defended well, even if the opening few minutes were a little unsettled. In the end, though, the scoreboard shows another blank for us and that means we come away empty-handed once again. The league’s top teams have the quality to make the most of their moments, and quality makes the difference on the pitch. Alongside securing survival, winning the derby was the bare minimum target – that doesn’t need any praise, because nobody can come away from this season feeling good about it.”

Leonardo Bittencourt: “It would probably have taken me a bit more time to truly help the team again. That’s why I want to say a big thank you to the squad and the coaching staff for making this possible. Every season tells its own story and, in the end, we managed to come through it. We all fought together to make sure we didn’t go down again. That’s why I’m proud of the team.”

Jens Stage: “It was a tight game and Dortmund deserved to win because of the quality they showed in both boxes, even if our overall performance was alright. The most important thing is that we’ll still be playing in the Bundesliga next season. But this position should only ever be the minimum for us. Overall, we can’t be satisfied with the season.”

Mio Backhaus: “Once again, we held our own against a strong side. In the end, the opposition’s individual quality decided the game. Even so, we gave the fans a decent performance, although we would have preferred to sign off with a win. Still, the fighting spirit we showed was solid. In the end, we just about secured safety and picked up important wins during a very difficult spell. Nevertheless, none of us are satisfied – the overall assessment of the season is not a positive one.”

Amos Pieper: “The results and our final position represent a step backwards. At some point, the way we were playing reflected exactly where we were in the table. For various reasons, we weren’t able to establish any real structure. I hope this season serves as a warning for us because we got away with it by the skin of our teeth. I’m glad we now have plenty of time, because a lot can happen over the summer.”

Managing director for sport Clemens Fritz: “This has certainly been a season to forget. We wanted to sign off today with a positive result, and that would have done us some good. Since we didn’t manage that, I’m obviously disappointed right now. The important thing after the season is to analyse everything thoroughly and to be self-critical and reflective.”