Sven, after the win in the derby you had high hopes against Bayern. Why was the result of the match decided so early?
Bender: If you want to get a result against Bayern then you have to be on the front foot from the start and you can't afford to make any serious mistakes. We did start well but then did not defend with enough determination in two situations. And then we were suddenly 2-0 down. Then it was obviously difficult to get out anything out of the game in Munich.
Were there any positives you could take from the game against FC Bayern?
Bender: You should always be constructive in dealing with defeats. We can and should definitely learn something from the mistakes we made. Of course, it was positive that we performed better in the second half. We were on equal terms with the opposition. Not to forget: It makes things really difficult if you go behind early in Munich.
The race for European spots is heating up and you have rivals on your shoulders. There's pressure before the home game against Eintracht Frankfurt. How do you see this match and what will be crucial in the game?
Bender: We’re on the home straight of the season. Games are getting fewer and fewer and now you notice how many games there have been this season – both mentally as well as physically. Then it's important to find the right mix of relaxation and tension. It doesn't help anybody if you're uptight going into a game. In that situation, it's down to us experienced players.
Frankfurt are in a Champions League spot and one of the biggest surprises of the season. What makes this team so strong?
Bender: Frankfurt deserve to be in fourth place. After FC Bayern, they've picked up the most points in 2021 and are consistently producing good performances. The team are like a band of brothers. You can sense the joy in joint, hard work. They can play an incredibly intensive game. And they have individual quality in attack on top of that. We are going to face a strong unit. We need a top performance to get a result in this match.
You are now coming up to the last four games in your playing career. Are you very aware of that or is it at the back of your mind in the battle for points and places?
Bender: It's slowly becoming clear. Particularly as we are again and again confronted with requests relating to the impending end of our careers. But on matchdays we are fully focused on the team and our targets. There's not much room for other thoughts. We’ll probably only really appreciate it when it's really over. When the dust has settled and we've come back down to earth.
This interview is in the BayArena Aktuell for the Bundesliga home game against Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday, 24 April (kick-off: 18.30 CET/live on Sky and Werks11 Radio). HERE is the link to the online match programme.
