Sporting director Sebastian Kehl, head coach Edin Terzic, goalscorer Nico Schlotterbeck, goalkeeper Alexander Meyer and defender Marius Wolf shared their view on the outcome of the 160th Ruhr derby. The match reactions.
Sebastian Kehl (to Sky): “We dropped two points today, not because Schalke were so good but because we didn’t take our chances. We also didn’t make a good start to the second half and immediately conceded the equaliser. Nonetheless, we found an answer to that and could have added a third goal. The second half was not as dominant as the first half, even though we could have still turned the game in our favour after it went to 2-2. We were lacking efficiency. We could’ve already scored at least a second and perhaps even a third goal in the first half. That’s how we got ourselves into this situation. Nonetheless, we haven’t lost nine Bundesliga games in a row; we have won eight of them and drawn one. Two more points would have been good for us today, both to keep up with Bayern and to maintain the gap below us.”
Edin Terzic (to Sky): “We said before the game that there would be two options. We let ourselves be drawn into Schalke’s emotional and passionate game and then things get tight. Or we stay calm and try to win the game by playing football. We managed that in the first half. We had lots of good spells in which we controlled both the ball and the opposition. We were able to create lots of clear chances then. We stopped doing that in the second half and then things got wild – exactly the way Schalke wanted it. We ultimately let the victory slip out of our hands and will now head home with a draw.”
Alexander Meyer (to BVB TV): “We actually had control over the game, created chances for ourselves and could have wrapped it up early on. Schalke had three chances to score and scored two goals. That feels stupid.”
Marius Wolf (to BVB TV): “We had five or six top chances that we should’ve converted and in the end we come away with only one point. That’s extremely bitter. And we have to blame ourselves for that. We were inattentive on two occasions and conceded two goals.”
Nico Schlotterbeck (to Sky): “It was a very heated, great atmosphere and yet we had them almost completely under control in the first half. After it went to 2-1, Jamie (Bynoe-Gittens) had a killer chance to score. If he makes it 3-1 then, it’s over. In the second half, you simply have to close the game out. Then it’s not a question of what if. Nonetheless, you cannot concede the two goals.”