Werder: Leipzig are a top team. We are missing Nuri Sahin, Philipp Bargfrede and Kevin Möhwald – all our defensive midfielders. How do you deal with that as an offensive player?
Leonardo Bittencourt: "By defensively taking more responsibility. Of course, it's easier to go forward if you have a great holding player behind you who can recognise dangerous situations and break up attacks because you can just think offensively. Without them though, we’ll have to put in a real team performance if we want to win. "
Werder: Can you actually play as a holding midfielder?
Leonardo Bittencourt: "I actually played a few games as a holding player at Hoffenheim. If I have to, I’ll do it. I have the right mentality to play the position, but in terms of ruggedness and tactical discipline I may be a little too wild or too offensive to play there. It's not necessarily my position. "
Werder: During the international break, a lot of players weren’t with the team. How has the integration in to your new team gone?
Leonardo Bittencourt: "Nothing is perfect when you make a move somewhere new and there are always slight adjustment difficulties. But I know the league, I speak the language and I have some experience. The players support me out on the pitch. The key was that we won. "
