Max Kruse (c.) and his Gladbach colleagues could be celebrating long into the night after sealing their place in the Champions League group stage on Matchday 33
Max Kruse (c.) and his Gladbach colleagues could be celebrating long into the night after sealing their place in the Champions League group stage on Matchday 33

Kruse: 'We've got even better this season'

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Bremen - After rubber-stamping their place in the UEFA Champions League group stage with a 2-0 win away to gracious SV Werder Bremen, the Borussia Mönchengladbach players couldn't speak highly enough of the work head coach Lucien Favre has put in down the years.

Borussia Mönchengladbach

bundesliga.com rounds up the post-match thoughts from both camps...

Max Kruse: "We're really happy. We'll have to talk about what's going on tonight on the bus. We'll definitely have one or two beers. We haven't lost since the winter break and it's crazy when you look at who we've beaten: Dortmund, Bayern, Hoffenheim, Wolfsburg, Leverkusen. We've got 66 points - another year that might have been enough to challenge for the title. When you look at where the club was four years ago, it's pretty clear that the head coach has played an important part in where we are today. We were on the right track last season, but we've got even better this season."

Christoph Kramer: "I think the head coach is the main reason behind our success. As a team, we have taken things on a game-by-game basis - and I'm not just saying that. We've really enjoyed our football. We're unbelievably solid at the back and everyone plays for each other. It's amazing to sign off after qualifying for the Champions League. It's a great way to go, even with teary eyes."

Roel Brouwers: "We're all happy to have done it. Now we can start celebrating. We were very solid at the back today, as we have been all season. I was delighted when we made it 2-0 because I knew that we had qualified for the Champions League. It's the greatest achievement of my career - I've never played in the Champions League before."

SV Werder Bremen


Franco Di Santo: "Gladbach are a superb team. After taking the lead, they showed their class and let the ball do the work by keeping it tight between the lines. We were chasing the game for large parts and couldn't create any chances. Obviously it's a massive disappointment - we didn't play as we'd set out to."

Zlatko Junuzovic: "We did a good job in parts, but you have to say that Gladbach were the better side. We deserved to lose. Borussia are in exceptional form at the moment and were convincing today in the way they played and set up. Compared to the reverse fixture, we raised our game. We tried everything we set out to do and that's why we're not hugely disappointed. Both the goals we conceded were a bit unlucky, but these things happen. You can't change anything about that now. If we'd have scored shortly after the break, there might have been more in it, but [Yann] Sommer made a spectacular save. The defeat's a fair result."

Sebastian Prödl: "We lost to a really good side today. I don't want to say they were superior, but they're really, really strong. In spite of the defeat today, we can be proud of how we've fought back this season."