Leverkusen keeper Leno: "Second half was outstanding"
Bayer 04 Leverkusen goalkeeper Bernd Leno hailed Die Werkself's second-half display in the come-from-behind win at FC Schalke 04, while his opposite number Ralf Fährmann felt the need to issue an apology to his Royal Blues team-mates after the 27-year-old's error led to the visitors' second goal.
FC Schalke 04 2-3 Bayer 04 Leverkusen
Goals: 1-0 Choupo-Moting (14'), 2-0 Sane (29'), 2-1 Brandt (54'), 2-2 Bellarabi (56'), 2-3 Chicharito (60')
Bernd Leno (Leverkusen goalkeeper): "I wanted to show [Klaas-Jan] Huntelaar that we want to qualify for the Champions League [by saving his penalty]. It was an outstanding performance in the second half. It wasn’t just a big point today; all the points recently have been. We kept our cool and noticed that there was a little bit of tension in the stadium after we equalised."
Julian Brandt (Leverkusen midfielder): "I always give my best. Today was a brilliant game. I don’t know why [we’re in such good form]. We’ve climbed up the table in recent weeks. Obviously I’d love to go to EURO 2016 but I need to keep my feet on the ground. Nothing is decided yet. We didn't play particularly well in the first half, going two goals behind. But at half-time there was a determination to put things right and score an early goal. We kept on believing and we managed it, creating some fantastic chances over a 15-minute period. It could easily have been more than three goals. It was a great game with highs and lows - but a good game all in all."
Roger Schmidt (Leverkusen coach): "It was a crazy game with a good finish for us! At half-time, we all really believed that we could turn the game around. There are big save sand then there are monster saves - Leno's save from Huntelaar was a monster save."
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Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (Schalke forward): "At the end [it was] a very disappointing afternoon and difficult to explain. I don't understand how we could play such a good first half and then give this victory away."
Ralf Fährmann (Schalke goalkeeper): "If I hadn’t made the error, we would have won the game. I want to apologise to everyone at the club. We need to try and forget this and focus on our performance in the first half and the last 20 minutes."
Andre Breitenreiter (Schalke coach): "There were 15 minutes or so where we were just too passive and let in some easy goals to allow our opponents back into the game. It was much too easy for them and, really, we should be celebrating the victory today."