As Marco Reus made his way over to the sideline in the 82nd minute, he exited to adoring applause. The Borussia Dortmund striker helped his team to victory with a brace. As Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang also scored a hat-trick, Dortmund celebrated an emphatic 5-1 victory over FC Augsburg. In an interview with DFB.de, the 26-year-old Germany international discussed the qualities of his teammates and his current good form.
Question: Why was it a good Sunday for you?
Marco Reus: I think that we played very well, especially in the first half. We put Augsburg under pressure from the first minute and forced them into making mistakes. Our lead at half time was fully deserved. Maybe we could have scored a few more, but our performance was generally very good.
Question: How would you rate the second half?
Reus: It didn’t start well for us. We were determined above all not to concede an early goal – and then exactly that happened. We invited unnecessary pressure following that, and weren’t able to play the football we wanted to in the second half. We wanted more possession, and to let the ball do the running. But we didn’t do that very well. We lacked concentration, and had very few chances. Luckily, Auba scored a couple more goals, and the game was decided.
Question: Was this exactly what you needed after your recent dip in form?
Reus: I’m not the kind of person who gets unsettled. It’s worse if I’m not getting the chances, but I was. Things change so quickly in football. I didn’t dwell on it, stayed calm and worked hard. I knew that everything would come together again if I gave my all. It feels good to have scored twice and was able to help the team on the way to a win.
Question: Aubameyang stole the match winner title from you in the last few minutes. Why is he playing so well at the moment?
As Marco Reus made his way over to the sideline in the 82nd minute, he exited to adoring applause. The Borussia Dortmund striker helped his team to victory with a brace. As Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang also scored a hat-trick, Dortmund celebrated an emphatic 5-1 victory over FC Augsburg. In an interview with DFB.de, the 26-year-old Germany international discussed the qualities of his teammates and his current good form.
Question: Why was it a good Sunday for you?
Marco Reus: I think that we played very well, especially in the first half. We put Augsburg under pressure from the first minute and forced them into making mistakes. Our lead at half time was fully deserved. Maybe we could have scored a few more, but our performance was generally very good.
Question: How would you rate the second half?
Reus: It didn’t start well for us. We were determined above all not to concede an early goal – and then exactly that happened. We invited unnecessary pressure following that, and weren’t able to play the football we wanted to in the second half. We wanted more possession, and to let the ball do the running. But we didn’t do that very well. We lacked concentration, and had very few chances. Luckily, Auba scored a couple more goals, and the game was decided.
Question: Was this exactly what you needed after your recent dip in form?
Reus: I’m not the kind of person who gets unsettled. It’s worse if I’m not getting the chances, but I was. Things change so quickly in football. I didn’t dwell on it, stayed calm and worked hard. I knew that everything would come together again if I gave my all. It feels good to have scored twice and was able to help the team on the way to a win.
Question: Aubameyang stole the match winner title from you in the last few minutes. Why is he playing so well at the moment?
Reus: He has been playing really relaxed and confident football recently. He needs this atmosphere. It’s so enjoyable playing alongside him and we understand each other very well. Having a player who is so cool in front of goal is hugely beneficial to any team.
Question: You just interviewed him. What was your first question?
Reus: (laughs) Congratulations on your three goals. How are you feeling?
Question: Does Aubameyang’s relaxed attitude affect the atmosphere in the team, or you in particular?
Reus: I think we have a very relaxed team, who are also highly focused. You see that out on the pitch. We worked very hard in the first half, and because of that created our chances.
Question: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has now drawn level with Robert Lewandowski on 13 goals this season. Do you see them as being on the same level?
Reus: It’s difficult to say. Auba has developed enormously. He has worked so hard, which you can see in his games. He is in great form at the moment. Lewy too, is very good on the ball. For me, he is one of the best strikers in the world, which he shows time and time again.
Question: You and him both have 42 Bundesliga goals for BVB. Does this competition play a role?
Reus: Journalists like to talk about that kind of thing. I’m not that bothered to be honest. Auba is in a better position being a striker, so will probably end up with more goals. Most important is that we’re successful as a team.
Question: Aubameyang claimed the match ball. What have you take home?
Reus: Two goals and good feedback. There’s no time to celebrate though, as we have our DFB Cup match against Paderborn coming up (Wednesday, 19:00 CET) and then the game against Werder Bremen. There’s always another game, and we have to make sure we stay focused.
Question: Was your performance particularly satisfying in light of the criticism you have received in recent weeks?
Reus: I don’t let that kind of thing affect me. I haven’t always been pleased with my performance in recent weeks, but I had chances. That is vital for me. It is of course important to score goals, but you always have periods where you don’t get goals. You have to work to make these phases as short as possible, which is what I do every day.
