Domenico Tedesco: Hard work paid off

Domenico Tedesco:

It was a tough game as expected. Köln lined up very solidly, rigidly and compactly. To get the win, we had to dig deep. At half time, we made tweaks and improved. Max Meyer’s goal was superb. Also, we bettered on our last clash with Köln as we didn’t let them back into the game. I’m very happy to have reached the quarter-finals. It’s a great way to end the year.

In terms of the Bundesliga, being second now means very little. If we hadn’t have won in Freiburg or Bremen, we’d be seventh. I think there’s a bit too much hype around us at the moment. This cup tie was almost a metaphor for our season so far. We had to work hard for the win and the team got their rewards. We are all aware that we still have a lot to do in the second half of the season.