Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso on reaching UEFA Europa League quarters with last gasp win over Qarabag
Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso on reaching UEFA Europa League quarters with last gasp win over Qarabag
Bay Arena, Leverkusen, Germany
Bay Arena, Leverkusen, Germany
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SportsTranscript
00:00 Good evening again. Welcome to this press conference after the game between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Kerrberg Agdam.
00:07 The final score was 3-2. Xabi, that was a very turbulent game. How would you balance that?
00:14 We were ready to have a special night here at the Bay Arena. There was a lot of emotion. A lot has happened. I think we started well in the first 15 minutes.
00:34 We had a chance at the back of the net and then we lost control of the game. They did well. It wasn't easy to come back after the second goal.
00:46 We could have scored three goals in a few minutes, but that's not what we train for. I don't believe in the team. It's something for the players. They did well to get to the end. We're happy to be in the next round.
01:09 Thank you. Now, your questions.
01:12 Patrick Scherer, Kölner Stadtanzeiger. Hi Xabi. Congratulations on the win. You said you can't train that belief. Did you lose that belief during the game that it would be 2-2 or 3-2?
01:27 No. After the 2-2, I was ready for the first half. I was ready to say what to say and make decisions. But I saw that they wanted more.
01:47 I thought I had to do something. But Patrick's third goal was great. It was important not to play for 13 minutes. The most important thing is that we're in the next round, the quarter-finals.
02:03 We're in top form. We're in the final tomorrow. That's how it will be.
02:08 Henrik Mertens, Sportinformationsdienst.
02:11 Congratulations Xabi. After the 3-2, you were on the sidelines. You were like roots. We saw that in the game against Bayern.
02:22 In the 3-0 win against Frimpong. Tell us about your feelings. What's going on in your mind?
02:29 We're all together in the boat. We all believe that we have the team spirit. That's the most important thing in the season.
02:41 We need to play well and be in the 3-2. We know that we have the last game on Sunday against Freiburg.
02:55 We need all the players. We want to fight and try to win every game. We'll see.
03:06 But when we have the team spirit and I see that they believe in it, they have the will and the hunger, that's very, very nice for me.
03:20 Philipp Ahrens, Bild.
03:22 Xabi, you know the history of Bayern. In 1988, in the UEFA Cup final against Espanyol, Barcelona had to score three goals.
03:35 It was similar to the dramaturgy. Can you explain what that means for the club?
03:44 From 1988 until now, there was a night like that. But it wasn't just today.
03:55 You can feel that this team and this team want to be successful.
04:03 We're in the 3-2. We'll see. But the team spirit, the fans, the belief and the excitement to win is very important.
04:23 We have to enjoy it. Sometimes it's not easy to enjoy the moment in football. But we have the ground.
04:33 We can't stop, of course, but we're in a great situation right now.
04:39 Patrick Scherer, please.
04:41 You mentioned the fans. You said yesterday at the press conference that the fans will be very important.
04:47 Can you say something about how it was for you at the 0-2 stand? It was still very loud.
04:51 Yes, they were loud. It was an important boost for the team.
04:59 After the first goal from Geri, the chip changed.
05:04 We're here. We have a chance. We need one more for extra time.
05:11 The players feel that. It's an extra moment and extra power.
05:25 That was one of the most important things at the moment. It wasn't easy, but I felt it for the players.
05:35 Holger Schmidt, please.
05:37 Congratulations. Kranjicaka said in the mix song that this win is more than three points and more than a promotion.
05:46 You don't feel like you need a big boost, but do you feel like it's an extra boost for the rest of the season?
05:54 Yes, for example, last season we had a feeling like that against Monaco.
06:00 If we had won the penalty shootout today, maybe the season would have been better.
06:08 We had a good moment last season.
06:14 It was a special game, a special one to be in the next round.
06:21 We have to use this energy for what's coming next.
06:28 It's Sunday. Today we're calm, but tomorrow we're preparing for Sunday.
06:35 There won't be much time. And in April we'll be back.
06:39 We have to be ready for April. We have to play well and that will come.
06:51 Frank Lasczett, please.
06:53 Xabi, you told me yesterday that you love knockout games.
06:58 That's something special, this emotion, this atmosphere. How well did you like the game today?
07:02 I expected that to happen, but I didn't expect so many emotions and so many special nights.
07:10 It was great to experience that.
07:14 Hopefully we can remember this night in the future.
07:18 It means something important.
07:22 I enjoyed the moment with the fans, just like I did today.
07:27 We have a round of the quarterfinals next.
07:32 Stefan von Lox, please.
07:34 Xabi, you replaced Grimaldo in the second half.
07:38 He had a big impact on the game.
07:41 Can you tell us how much this change has improved the game for you?
07:48 He's played for almost everyone so far.
07:52 We needed a fresh Grimaldo.
07:55 He made a big difference.
07:58 He played wide.
08:01 Sometimes I can play between the lines.
08:04 We decided that he should stay and have this flank.
08:10 The second goal was like that, but he had this quality, this special feeling.
08:18 He did what he had to do at every moment.
08:21 Pierro did well, but we needed a different quality at that moment.
08:26 We needed to attack a bit more in the last third.
08:30 Axel Hesse, please, from Sportbild.
08:33 Hello. One question about Patrick Schick.
08:37 He scored both goals.
08:40 What does that mean for him?
08:42 It wasn't so happy for him this year.
08:44 But now it can have a big impact on him.
08:47 Last week in Wachau was important for him.
08:50 Today he had a big impact on the game.
08:54 On Sunday we needed a good Patrick.
08:58 I'm very happy for him.
09:01 It's the most important goal of the season.
09:04 He scored two goals and was the key to the next round.
09:09 We need a Patrick.
09:11 He's very happy right now.
09:15 And on Sunday we need a Patrick with good energy.
09:19 Henrik Bertens, Sportinformationsdienst.
09:24 Tomorrow is the draw, quarter-final and maybe even semi-final.
09:28 How much does it tickle that the FC Liverpool is on a draw?
09:33 Not only for Liverpool.
09:36 I saw all the teams are top teams.
09:40 The draw is very interesting for tomorrow.
09:43 We'll see.
09:45 But of course Liverpool are a top candidate for the World Cup.
09:51 Stefan van Doks, again.
09:53 Xabi, you've scored many goals this year.
09:57 Today you scored two goals.
10:00 On the one hand, you must feel incredibly strong.
10:04 But do you ever think that it might not go well?
10:08 It doesn't always work out.
10:10 Not always.
10:12 Sometimes it happens in 24 years.
10:17 It's good, but we don't always want to do that.
10:23 We want to win more calmly.
10:26 For example in other games.
10:29 But we have to use the chance we get early on.
10:36 To have a good lead in the game.
10:41 The game is not tight.
10:43 But we know now that all teams are fighting for everything.
10:50 For Europe, Austria, the championship.
10:55 It's not easy to win 3-0, 2-0.
10:59 We have to be ready and have the will to believe.
11:06 A team has it or not.
11:14 Stefan, any more questions?
11:17 Another question, Xabi.
11:19 You've only nominated one right sixer with Granit.
11:23 The wing-back Kostanouis against Zoubier.
11:26 A lot of man-to-man, even in the opposing half.
11:30 Can you explain why you chose this option?
11:34 We saw in Baku that sometimes the first goal was like that.
11:42 With a double six.
11:43 Noumeh was always behind the double six.
11:47 He had room to connect in this position.
11:52 So we decided to have a six and control it.
11:57 We did well in the first 20 minutes.
12:02 Then we decided that it's not a double six.
12:07 It's a class six.
12:08 And almost a 2-8 or 2-10 with Jonas and Flo.
12:14 We decided to control the space between Romao and Benzia.
12:25 He plays well between the lines.
12:28 Granit did well.
12:31 The first goal was a bit high.
12:36 They played with Benzia.
12:38 They switched to the right side.
12:44 But we can play like that.
12:48 Philipp Ahrens from the Bild.
12:50 You just mentioned Jonas Hofmann.
12:53 Is that something serious?
12:57 Not so serious.
12:58 Tomorrow he has the MRI scan.
13:01 I don't feel too bad.
13:03 But we'll have to wait a bit.
13:05 Okay.
13:06 We wish you a good journey home and a good night.
13:10 See you tomorrow.
13:11 Bye.
13:12 It's late.
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