Back
10.06.2020DFB-Pokal

'We definitely deserve to be in the final'

Bayer 04 are in the final of the DFB Cup for the fourth time in the club's history. The Werkself are on their way to Berlin thanks to a focused performance in the 3-0 victory over Regional League side FC Saarbrücken. After the final whistle in the semi-final, players, coaches and management at the Black and Reds spoke about the success on the night – and already looked forward to the final.
crop__S8A7029_20200609110904467_20200609113339.jpg

Fernando Carro, chairman of the board: "It's a great success and the chance of a title. So I'm very happy."

Rudi Völler, sporting managing director: "I'm a bit of an optimist and I haven't given up hope that we might be able to have a few spectators at the final. Perhaps there could be a little sign in that huge stadium. But that's down to the politicians. We approached the match in the way you have to play against a surprise team in the semi-finals. I didn't think much was happening after the first quarter of an hour. The coach did well to keep the level of excitement up. Now we're all looking forward to Berlin and we definitely deserve to be in the final. We are having a really good season. But if we'd have been knocked out here today then I wouldn't say the whole season was put into question but it would have been tough. Now we have to put it behind us and concentrate on Schalke."

Peter Bosz, head coach: "You play a final to win it. That's the next step. I'm satisfied with the game because we took it seriously. Perhaps we could have scored one or two more goals. I didn't have any doubts but respect instead. We did our job well from the start. If you score two goals in 30 minutes then the game is over. You don't get many chances in football to play in a final. You have to be serious about it when you're so close. And that's what we did."

crop_imago0047339219h.jpg

 

Lukas Hradecky: "The third final in five years. I'm happy about it. I hope we play Eintracht in the final. I hope we can put on another shirt after the final. The lads were very professional in the build-up. They took the opposition seriously. We’re through now and anything can happen in the final regardless of who the opponents are."

Sven Bender: "It's a different atmosphere. Those are the problems in games like that. We prepared for that and were focused. We did a good job. It's the first final with Leverkusen. I'm proud of it. I hope we're not at the end of the road now."

Jonathan Tah: "We’re really happy to be in the cup final – that doesn't happen very often as a player. And it hasn't happened very often in the history of Bayer 04. So therefore I'm happy to be able to be part of it. It's something big and special for all of us."

Kerem Demirbay: "It was just about going through to the final. Every athlete dreams of playing in a final. It's a one-off match. It's a battle – don't misunderstand me – and it's all about giving your all. I'm raring to go and so are the team. We had to show due respect to the opposition. But to be honest, it was a semi-final and it doesn't matter whether it's a fourth division team or a first division team. It's just about winning. We did it and we're proud of it."

Related News

Torjubel der Bayer 04-Frauen
Women - 25.04.2025

Bayer 04 Women maintain Champions League hopes with 3-1 win in Potsdam

Bayer 04 Women won 3-1 away at Turbine Potsdam on Friday night to maintain their chances of finishing in the top three and qualifying for the UEFA Women’s Champions League. Delice Boboy, Cornelia Kramer and Karolina Lea Vilhjalmsdottir struck for the Werkself at the Google Pixel Bundesliga’s bottom club, whose relegation was confirmed with the result. Leverkusen’s 12th win of the campaign took them up to 40 points.

Show more
Nordi Mukiele und Alejo Sarco
Bayer 04 - 24.04.2025

Bayer 04 players Mukiele and Sarco sidelined

Bayer 04 Leverkusen will have to manage without defender Nordi Mukiele and the Argentinian striker Alejo Sarco for the time being. Both players suffered muscle injuries in yesterday's Werkself training session.

Show more
Kids-PK
Football School - 23.04.2025

Goalkeeper duo Hradecky and Schlich at Kids press conference

Two keepers, lots of questions: Werkself captain Lukas Hradecky and U19 goalkeeper Jesper Schlich visited the BarmeniaGothaer children’s press conference in partnership with the Bayer 04 Lions Club on Wednesday afternoon. The duo faced interesting and at times unusual questions from around 50 inquisitive young journalists in the press conference room at the BayArena.

Show more
Bayer 04
Bayer 04 - 23.04.2025

Seven Werkself players nominated for Bundesliga Team of the Season

The video games manufacturer Electronic Arts (EA) in conjunction with the German Football League (DFL) have started the vote for the annual Bundesliga Team of the Season. Werkself fans now have the opportunity to put forward seven Bayer 04 players for the top eleven in the 2024/25 Bundesliga season. Florian Wirtz, Granit Xhaka, Jonathan Tah, Piero Hincapie, Patrik Schick, Jeremie Frimpong and Alejandro Grimaldo are in the vote. Voting ends on Sunday, 27 April (19:59 CEST).

Show more