Christian Groß in the mixed zone

Groß played 119 minutes of the cup defeat, which went to extra time after a goalless 90 minutes. Playing in the heart of defence, he was a big part of the defensive stability that kept Leipzig’s attackers at bay for long spells. “I gave it absolutely everything I had and cramped up in the 110th minute. We have to pick up where we left off and continue working hard and giving it all we’ve got over the next few weeks,” continues the 32-year-old. Following a couple of days of rest and recovery, SVW’s number 36 is ready to go again and is firmly focused on upcoming challenges. The most important thing is that the Green-Whites keep a positive mindset as they move forward. “All of the boys are training well and working hard. Now it’s a matter of doing that out on the pitch where it counts.”

The defender also emphasised the importance of attitude in the campaign’s final push. “Sometimes in this game you have to make your own luck. Our priority is bringing the same level of passion and commitment to this match as we did last Friday.” The overall goal for Groß is absolutely clear - staying in the Bundesliga. The Bremen native is in no doubt about that: “It doesn’t matter to me whether I’m playing or not. It’s all about Werder staying up.”