Bayern Munich’s nerve-wracking 2-0 win against bottom-feeding Hertha Berlin — in which the goals came late on a day where three points were absolutely required — brought visible relief to the faces of the Bavarian faithful.
The players shared in the joy, too.
“We are very happy, it was a difficult game for us,” said defender Matthijs de Ligt after the match for DAZN (via @iMiaSanMia). “When [Borussia Dortmund] drops two points, then you want to go into the game with a lot of fire and passion. But the pressure is not easy. The game wasn’t great, but we won.
“Of course the performance could be better. We hadn’t won the last four games, but we did it again today. The three points today were the most important thing.”
Is there a player who has integrated faster into the squad than De Ligt? The Juventus arrival has been a quick study since Bayern made him their most expensive signing of last summer’s transfer window. At only 23, the former Ajax captain is asserting a leadership role already, taking the initiative to rally the troops — among them head coach Thomas Tuchel.
“The three days off (after Mainz) were very important for us,” De Ligt added. “After the game against Mainz we were emotionally and mentally tired. I spoke to the team and the coach. We have to win the title together, that was the first step today.”
Watch more of De Ligt’s post-game comments below:
Interested in an in-depth discussion about this game and the Bundesliga title race in general? Then why not check out our newest podcast episode? Listen to it below or on Spotify.
As always, we appreciate all the support.