Gerardo Seoane on…
…the state of mind after the game against Hoffenheim: Every win and every defeat feels different. This time the disappointment was particularly big because we had actually trained really well in the week. The training sessions were really lively and that makes a defeat even more painful. I think we started well in the game, were on it, pressed the opponents and through that created a couple of chances. So it definitely wasn't down to lack of desire or commitment. But Hoffenheim defended very well in a block and closed down space. In turn, we lost possession too often at the back line and the opposition looked to get their chances in transition – with success.
...his personal handling of defeats: After the game, I try – together with the coaching and staff team – to go through the match again. It's less about the physical points but instead mainly about how we make concrete plans: how we organise the Sunday, what messages we consciously give to the team, whether we want to give them time at first or go straight into in-depth analysis. After that I take time to clear my head and be certain of how I can recharge my batteries up to 100 per cent. The team needs a coach even more in situations like that. Therefore, it's my job to show the absolute commitment to the route we're on.
…communication with the team: Overall, we want to find out what does the team good and what we can use most in the next match. We try to analyse that with the players with lots of joint discussions. We are interested in how each of them perceive the game and how they feel. Everybody has a different way of doing it. For me as a player it always helped if I felt total confidence from the coach and he was always open to feedback. Therefore, we try to be open and transparent when we communicate with each other.
…the importance of emotional balance: At the moment, the emotional state on the pitch is a crucial factor. How we react to going behind is clearly an important point where we have to improve. We have to get used to a bigger level of frustration so that we don't distract ourselves from our own energy levels in such situations. The paradox there is that this emotional rollercoaster is one of the good things about football at the same time. We haven't achieved that emotional balance. However, I'm convinced the team will produce a different performance at the weekend and show more energy and power.
