"It was a real cauldron. Such a win is extra sweet at the end", said Sebastian Rode after the hard fought 2-1 victory away at Sporting Lisbon: "When things got hectic during the final stage match, for us it was all about holding on to make sure we emerged victorious."

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Was the win away at Sporting achieved above all by strength of will?
Yes, when things got hectic towards the end of the game, for us it was simply about holding on to make sure we emerged victorious. It was a real cauldron. The win was extra sweet in the end.

What was the mood like in the changing room after the match?
The mood was quite mixed after the game. On the one hand, we had a lot of players who were pretty beat up from the game, and three needed to be substituted earlier than planned (Marc Bartra, Matthias Ginter, Felix Passlack [Editor's Note]). However, above and beyond that, we were really happy with the win. It helps those wounds heal more quickly.

With seven points after three games, Borussia is top of group F. What do you think your chances are of making it to the round of 16?
We need to stay concentrated for the return leg against Sporting on the 2 November. We must not lose. If we achieve that, then it will be looking good for the round of 16.
Transcribed by Matthias Dersch (Ruhr Nachrichten)