Fabian Lustenberger insisted Friday night's 3-2 win over Werder Bremen "crowned a great calendar year"
Fabian Lustenberger insisted Friday night's 3-2 win over Werder Bremen "crowned a great calendar year"

Lustenberger: 'This crowns a great 2013'

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Berlin - The 16th week of Bundesliga action got off to a flyer on Friday night with five goals at the Olympiastadion as Hertha Berlin rose to sixth with a 3-2 win over SV Werder Bremen.

Hertha Berlin

The mood in both camps was understandably contrasting at the end of a game which could have gone either way, but ended up sanctioning Bremen's fourth defeat in five games and Hertha's second straight success.

bundesliga.com summarises the thoughts of some of those who took to the field in the German capital.

It's a very important win. It's nice that we were the lucky ones in the end. Now we'll give it all we can at [Borussia] Dortmund. We knew they wouldn't play like they did against FC Bayern [München when they lost 7-0 on Matchday 15]. We knew Bremen are a good team, particularly in attack, but we held our own. Football is about results and we have the three points, so we're happy. This crowned what was in general a great calendar year, with promotion and now our league position. We're pleased to have been able to give the fans a bit of a spectacle.

It's a good feeling, we're very happy. We wanted the three points and we got them. It was a very interesting game, particularly for the fans with all the goals. It was our last home game of year and we're delighted to have won it. We know what their weakness is - their defence - and we took advantage. We’re not going to Dortmund just to see how pretty the stadium us. We want something there as well.

The first half was not so good and I've got to say we conceded two stupid goals. Then our performance in the second half was perfect. We tried to get the three points and it was enjoyable. We go to Dortmund and we'll try to get points there too.

Werder Bremen


We wanted to make up for last weekend, but we failed to do so. We're conceding too many goals too easily and that's making life very, very difficult for us. It's really hard to put our finger on what it is. And then when you see the chances we had in the final minutes, you've got to say bad luck has played a part too. I'm not too worried, but of course we're all getting slightly concerned. We've got to look over our shoulders, but first and foremost we've got to take things game by game and start collecting points again.

This defeat really hurts. We really didn't want a spectacle, but that's what we got in the first half. Hertha had one chance and they scored two goals, and here we are once again scoring two goals away from home and coming away empty-handed.

We're immensely disappointed. We started well, deserved to take the lead and then we deprive ourselves of glory yet again. I'm particularly frustrated by their second goal because it was all too easy. We defended almost like fairies and so it's no surprise that we don't get any points. We're clearly conceding too many goals of late and we've got to concentrate more in defence. It's not easy to get something when you have to come from behind.