Germany international Karim Bellarabi was only a spectator for the opening 57 minutes of Bayer Leverkusen's game against VfB Stuttgart on Bundesliga matchday 10. He had an instant impact on the game after he was brought on, scoring after just a few seconds on the pitch. The forward went on to supply an assist as well as he played a crucial role in Leverkusen's unlikely turnaround to record a 4-3 victory.
In an interview with DFB.de, Bellarabi talks about Leverkusen's improved performance in the second half, parallels to the dramatic 4-4 draw with Roma in the Champions League and the confidence levels in the squad.
Question: What is your take on this exciting game?
Karim Bellarabi: Unlike Tuesday, we got the three points today and in that regard we can be very satisfied with the match. The first half wasn't as convincing, but in the second half we played really well.
Question: Seeing six goals in the span of twenty minutes isn't that common. What was it like on the pitch?
Bellarabi: We fought with everything we had in the second half. You could tell that every single one of our players wanted to win today and in the end we earned a deserved victory.
The second half felt like a heavyweight boxing match, with two fighters just slugging away at each other. Did it feel like that for you as well?
Bellarabi: Yes, it was also clear that Stuttgart were very determined to get a result from this game. They played for the win and put on a good performance. For long spells of the game they were very solid in defence, which didn’t make it easy for us.
Question: Until you came onto the pitch...
Bellarabi: With our busy schedule, playing three games a week, we always have to be prepared and fully focused, even when we come off the bench. I just wanted to give my best and give the team a new dimension when I came on. I think it worked out quite well and I was able to help my team.
Question: At one point in the game, you ran all the way across the pitch to pick up a ball and speed up the game. Were you trying to lead by example at that moment?
Bellarabi: It was important for us to win this game and I just wanted to keep playing. Maybe those seconds that I earned from that situation helped us in the end.
Question: Stuttgart were leading 2-0 and 3-1 in this game. Were your team perhaps a little tired after the dramatic encounter with Roma during the week?
Bellarabi: Our first half performance was not what we had envisioned it being. We had a very slow start to the game and Stuttgart played well. In the second half you could see that Stuttgart were not as energetic anymore. We put them under pressure and kept playing until we were in the lead. We definitely had fortune on our side as we scored the winner with three minutes left to play.
Question: Will this victory finally see Leverkusen start a run?
Bellarabi: I think that we took another step forward with this win. The three points are very important with regard to the standings. I also think that this win will give us confidence for our upcoming tests.
created by mmc/fr
Germany international Karim Bellarabi was only a spectator for the opening 57 minutes of Bayer Leverkusen's game against VfB Stuttgart on Bundesliga matchday 10. He had an instant impact on the game after he was brought on, scoring after just a few seconds on the pitch. The forward went on to supply an assist as well as he played a crucial role in Leverkusen's unlikely turnaround to record a 4-3 victory.
In an interview with DFB.de, Bellarabi talks about Leverkusen's improved performance in the second half, parallels to the dramatic 4-4 draw with Roma in the Champions League and the confidence levels in the squad.
Question: What is your take on this exciting game?
Karim Bellarabi: Unlike Tuesday, we got the three points today and in that regard we can be very satisfied with the match. The first half wasn't as convincing, but in the second half we played really well.
Question: Seeing six goals in the span of twenty minutes isn't that common. What was it like on the pitch?
Bellarabi: We fought with everything we had in the second half. You could tell that every single one of our players wanted to win today and in the end we earned a deserved victory.
The second half felt like a heavyweight boxing match, with two fighters just slugging away at each other. Did it feel like that for you as well?
Bellarabi: Yes, it was also clear that Stuttgart were very determined to get a result from this game. They played for the win and put on a good performance. For long spells of the game they were very solid in defence, which didn’t make it easy for us.
Question: Until you came onto the pitch...
Bellarabi: With our busy schedule, playing three games a week, we always have to be prepared and fully focused, even when we come off the bench. I just wanted to give my best and give the team a new dimension when I came on. I think it worked out quite well and I was able to help my team.
Question: At one point in the game, you ran all the way across the pitch to pick up a ball and speed up the game. Were you trying to lead by example at that moment?
Bellarabi: It was important for us to win this game and I just wanted to keep playing. Maybe those seconds that I earned from that situation helped us in the end.
Question: Stuttgart were leading 2-0 and 3-1 in this game. Were your team perhaps a little tired after the dramatic encounter with Roma during the week?
Bellarabi: Our first half performance was not what we had envisioned it being. We had a very slow start to the game and Stuttgart played well. In the second half you could see that Stuttgart were not as energetic anymore. We put them under pressure and kept playing until we were in the lead. We definitely had fortune on our side as we scored the winner with three minutes left to play.
Question: Will this victory finally see Leverkusen start a run?
Bellarabi: I think that we took another step forward with this win. The three points are very important with regard to the standings. I also think that this win will give us confidence for our upcoming tests.
