"We need to pick up three points in Hamburg on Saturday"

Mario, many congratulations on reaching the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League. What does it mean to reach the last 16 prematurely?
It is very important, especially when you consider that this is the Champions League and we have very strong sides in our group. It is a good sign for us and gives us some peace of mind. It was important to keep a clean sheet and get the three points. And we managed that.

How much of a relief was it considering that you have not had too much to shout about in the Bundesliga in the past few weeks?
We have to view it a bit differently. It's great we're in this position in the Champions League with ten points from our first four matches. Not many teams have managed that, so we can be very happy with our achievement. But we are aware of our situation in the Bundesliga. We don't need to sugarcoat it in any way: we need to pick up all three points in Hamburg on Saturday.

"It was by no means guaranteed"

You moved the ball brilliantly between a number of players before the opener. What was your take on the goal?
It was a nice move. Adrian was in a perfect position in the six-yard box and scored a brilliant header. Ginni's cross to set it up was very good, too. It was great. However, we had several chances to double the lead before the break. Overall, it was a mixed performance with some good moments. Getting three points at home to Sporting Lisbon was by no means guaranteed.

There was a small surprise in Warsaw, where Legia held Real Madrid to a draw. That leaves your chance of winning the group in your own hands…
It goes without saying that was good for us, not many people would have expected that. But ultimately we just focus on ourselves. We now have ten points and that's what counts. Now we are looking forward to Hamburg, where we need to win. Then we continue. (djg)