With his last-minute equaliser on Saturday, Claudio Pizarro earned a point for Werder whilst also firing himself up to fifth place on the all-time list of Bundesliga top scorers. However, the Werder was not satisfied with the team's efforts. "The situation isn't getting any easier – we need points. There's a lot to do and a lot that needs correcting," said the Peruvian on Sunday. As a result, he wasn't able to get ahead of himself over his late header.
When the going gets tough, mental strength plays a huge role – the goalscorer and his manager Viktor Skripnik were both in agreement about that. "It's all about the head," said Pizarro. "You could see at the start that everyone was scared of making a decisive mistake," Skripnik added.
Skripnik asserted that pressure is part and parcel of the team's current situation, but also believes that criticism of the most recent performance is justified. "It's important to not just see the negative, but to also take in the support of fans, friends and family."
Bundesliga stalwart Pizarro trusts in his own mental disposition. "I'm always optimistic. If you're not, you make things harder for yourself. You just need to keep working harder," said 'Pizza'. That's exactly what he's trying to instil in the squad: "I try to speak with the boys and help them. It's important that we communicate with each other at the moment" Skripnik added that his "experience" is crucial for the team. Pizarro's role as a leader in the team may be nothing new, but it is perhaps more important now than ever before.
