"It is certainly a step in the right direction"

Marcel, are you satisfied with the point because you came back after trailing, or rather unsatisfied because there was something more in it for you?
"When you see how Leverkusen played against Leipzig two weeks ago with a numerical disadvantage, then we can certainly be satisfied, and also with the way in which we went about our business. We were very patient and avoided committing harakiri. Leverkusen have players who are dangerous on the break, so I am happy that our morale and our will were strong enough to take a point from the encounter."

Would you say that the team feels better in a 3-4-3 than a 4-3-3 formation?
"Right now that's the case, but there will come times when things are different. It's not the case that we don't like playing in a 4-3-3. The formation you run out in always depends on the situation and the opposition. Whether you line up with back three, four or five, at the end of the day, you've got to bring your game to the pitch. The system always comes second to that."

"Roman was very secure in goal"

Was the game a step forwards after an intensive week of training, during which the errors of recent weeks were analysed?
"Overall we can look at this game in a very positive light. Leverkusen are a good team, and they remain very dangerous even if they lose a man. How we reacted after going behind is certainly a step in the right direction. Therefore, we can definitely be very happy with this point won away from home. It is not easy here in Leverkusen."

Did Roman Bürki save the point for you?
"Definitely, a big well-done to Roman. It's exactly in this kind of situation, when you're taking criticism from all quarters, that it is sometimes appropriate to give out a little praise. Roman was very, very secure in goal, and denied them many great chances to score."

"We need to do more than just play good football right now to get results"

What was decisive in the end?
"We played very patiently, which was important, because Leverkusen can defend with great passion and have of course these dangerous players on the counter, such as Brandt or Havertz, Bailey and later Bellarabi. They have incredible pace. So it was a step forward to play with patience and to wait for the few chances we were going to get. With a bit of luck, we would have got another goal to win the game at the end."

In what kind of mind-frame do you travel to Madrid now?
"We had a good week of training during which we were able to work well, address a lot of problems and do training exercises to remedy them. We will now use the game in Madrid in order to take another step forwards. Of course in the Bernabeu it is something quite different than here in Leverkusen. Nevertheless, it is exactly what we need right now: training and matches. I don't want to make everything dependent on the result there in Madrid. For us, it is important to put in a good performance and to fight for the points. Then it will automatically follow that we play good football. But we need to do more than just play good football right now to get results." (djg)