"We lacked ease and verve, but we can still win matches like this one, and that's a good sign," summarised Jupp Heynckes after the 1-0 victory over 1. FC Köln. Bayern ran up vainly against the rock of the visitors' defence for a long time but refused to ease off. "Matches like this one happen. We've had a demanding programme, and two difficult matches are still awaiting us," according to the 72-year-old.
Reaction to Bayern v Köln
Jupp Heynckes: "You could tell we struggled a lot against a very defensively-minded Köln team who were very well-organised. I missed our quick play from defence, our precision and, especially in the first half, our changes of pace. We improved a bit in the second half. We lacked ease and verve, but we can still win matches like this one, and that's a good sign. We had to make fundamental changes at half-time. Matches like this one happen. We've had a demanding programme, and two difficult matches are still awaiting us."
Thomas Müller: "Köln were content to contain us apart from the last three minutes. We didn't let the ball do the work in the first half, we didn't play vertically enough. You can't be as attack-minded as we were in the second half against any opponent, but we had to do something. After we took the lead the team knew we have two matches ahead of us this year, and that we're not at 100 percent in terms of energy. We let the ball do the work and were content with a narrow 1-0 victory."
Stefan Ruthenbeck (1. FC Köln coach): "Bayern clearly dominated the match, it was a deserved victory. We could have thwarted the goal too. We still did a good job and defended well. And more would have been possible if we'd made more out of one or two situations."
Timo Horn (1. FC Köln coach): "We struggled a lot with injuries. We gave it everything, it was a respectable display. We just lacked the bit of luck you need, twice in the first half and shortly before full-time. If we're a bit lucky one of them goes in. We gave it everything, but at the end of the day it wasn't enough, as so often this season."
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