Reactions: no rhythm, themselves to blame, lacked intensity

Reactions: no rhythm, themselves to blame, lacked intensity

(in the mixed zone): “Nobody needs a Saturday afternoon like that. Naturally, it had an impact on our fans, who tend to react with empathy. I felt we got off to a good start and could have scored. Even though we didn’t have that many chances, we were extremely dominant. Leverkusen were wary of us. After the 25th minute, we needlessly let the game slip from our grasp. We no longer had the intensity or the power, not even in the second half, to turn this game around. It was anything but a good game.”

Niko Kovac (in the press conference): “We did really well in the first 30 minutes and controlled the game. But then we gave the ball away too easily a few times, let Leverkusen get more into the game, and have only ourselves to blame for that careless loss of possession that led to the goal. The second half was difficult. We need the energy of this stadium, but the medical emergency in the stands meant we didn’t have it today. We lacked penetration and tried to play through the middle too much. We should have played much more down the flanks. It was pretty similar to the match against Stuttgart last week. Today we lost the match, last week we won it.”

Waldemar Anton (in the mixed zone): “It was a very, very strange game. We started well and executed our game plan effectively in the first half. It was just the final pass in the final third that let us down. Even so, it really should have been 0-0 at half-time. Then they had a shot out of the blue that went in. You don't see those types of goals very often. In the second half, we lacked the intensity that we usually manage to maintain right until the end. That didn’t happen today.”

Daniel Svensson (in the TV interview): “It’s a disappointing defeat. After conceding the goal, we lost our way a bit. We didn’t really manage to get back into our rhythm. We were too slow, both with and without the ball. And then, of course, it’s difficult to play against a team like Leverkusen.”

Recorded by Boris Rupert