FC Bayern make a mistake at feared opponents Borussia Mönchengladbach, Borussia Dortmund draws level with the record champions with a 4-1 win against Hertha BSC. BVB captain Marco Reus makes an announcement about the title fight. The votes on the 21st Bundesliga matchday:
Bayer Leverkusen – FSV Mainz 05 2:3
Xabi Alonso (Bayer Leverkusen manager): “Obviously we’re not happy. We wanted to win after Thursday’s defeat. Our level of defense was too weak. We need to improve. We need to focus better, that’s our goal for the future.”
Bo Svensson (FSV Mainz 05 coach): “It was a wild game. There was a lot going on. It’s hard to sum it all up. I have to compliment my team. We didn’t give up, even in difficult periods. I’m very proud of this performance. It was It was a tight game with a lot of chances for both sides. We’re happy to win.”
Borussia Dortmund – Hertha BSC 4: 1
Edin Terzic (Borussia Dortmund coach): “We played in a very good position but we haven’t achieved our goals yet. We want to go into every game seriously, look good and deserve to win. Now we have some satisfaction – but only until the next game.”
Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund): “Before the winter break nobody expected it to be this close up in the table. We started a run that we continued today. We want to continue riding this wave and in the end you will see what comes of it. But you also win, you can’t lose an inch, otherwise it will be difficult. We don’t play the stars from the sky, we are effective. With my free-kick goal, I noticed as soon as the ball left my foot which can be dangerous. I’m happy to have scored another free-kick after a long time.”
Julian Brandt (Borussia Dortmund): “It’s a nice feeling that we were able to expand the series, especially since the day of the game went well for us overall. There’s still a long way to go for us, but also for Union and Bayern. Even if it’s not always the most beautiful football : He’s successful. We fought our way out of our situation before the winter break extremely well. I’m most happy today for Marco Reus, who scored a wonderful goal.”
Sandro Schwarz (Hertha BSC coach): “We can take a lot of positive things with us: activity, working against the ball, mileage, sprinting. That’s the way to keep going. Huge respect for my team! But Dortmund had the efficiency, but we came back. The standard situation for the 3 :1 was then angry.”
Union Berlin – FC Schalke 04 0:0
Urs Fischer (Coach Union Berlin): “It was a game in which two teams almost neutralized each other. At the end of the day you have to be satisfied with the result and the way the game went. I can live with that. We had a harder time opening the game than we thought At times we didn’t have enough courage. Logically, we would have liked to have won this game.”
Thomas Reis (Schalke 04 coach): “You have to be happy. Union is having a fantastic season, it’s difficult to score points here. We kept the game open. We kept the clean sheet again and were able to keep up with an opponent. That gives me confidence.”
Eintracht Frankfurt – Werder Bremen 2:0
Oliver Glasner (Eintracht Frankfurt coach): “Of course I’m very happy with our performance. Compliments to the team for how disciplined and alert they were. That was absolutely great. In the end we played it home in a very controlled manner. That gives us self-confidence.”
Ole Werner (Werder Bremen coach): “We couldn’t get our foot in the door. We got off to a bad start and then we struggled. We couldn’t do anything with possession today. All in all, we lacked conviction and courage. “
Borussia Monchengladbach – Bayern Munich 3:2
Daniel Farke (Borussia Monchengladbach coach): “It’s really good for us, for the table and the mood. We were brave. But we left a lot behind, almost played it too wildly. The lads put in an exceptional performance. We’ll have a relaxed weekend.”
Julian Nagelsmann (Coach FC Bayern Munich): “We started very well. Then comes the red card, then the goal. Then it gets difficult as the game progresses. Of course I was upset in the mixed zone, but please don’t put every word on the gold scales. We’ve got here We didn’t like to win.”
VfB Stuttgart – 1. FC Cologne 3:0
Bruno Labbadia (coach VfB Stuttgart): “We came in well and scored a nice goal. After that you could see that we lacked the confidence to continue because we had a bit of a dip. We had problems after half-time too, so the second goal was extremely important. Nice, That we won is what the team needed. It was an important step – nothing more, nothing less. We have to keep at it.”
Steffen Baumgart (Coach 1. FC Cologne): “We didn’t do a lot of things as well as we should have done to win. I felt like we were up to 2-0, we had chances before where the toe wasn’t. After that the game was over and you leave the field as a deserved loser.”
VfL Wolfsburg – RB Leipzig 0: 3
Niko Kovac (VfL Wolfsburg coach): “In many situations we didn’t fight back enough. And it became clear that we don’t have the level of Leipzig. In order to stop our negative run, we have to understand that we can’t solve everything playfully.”
Marco Rose (RB Leipzig coach): “I would have liked us to close the box earlier. Nevertheless, I’m happy about the win and the performance. We quickly took control and didn’t allow much. We did a particularly good job on the defensive.”
VfL Bochum – SC Freiburg 0:2
Thomas Letsch (coach VfL Bochum): “It was a battle of attrition, up until half-time it was a typical 0-0 game. It’s clear that small things are decisive against SC Freiburg. I also think it wasn’t an undeserved win for Freiburg. It won’t knock us down. The series is over, so we have to start one away.”
Christian Streich (Coach SC Freiburg): “The way the game went, it was to be expected. I have to compliment the team. That helped us 1-0. The team tried everything to hold back. It wasn’t an undeserved win. I have to take off my hat, as they performed today.”
FC Augsburg – TSG Hoffenheim 1:0
Enrico Maassen (FC Augsburg coach): “I’m very happy with my team. When you’re so happy and the goals are taken back, it makes a difference. The goal was a willful effort. I’m very proud that we showed such a reaction after the game against Mainz have.”
Pellegrino Matarazzo (TSG Hoffenheim coach): “We made life difficult for ourselves in the first half because we lost a lot of the ball unnecessarily. The second half developed into a competitive game. It’s very sad that we left the field as losers.”