Thanks to a focused and committed performance, FC Bayern secured a 2-1 away win at VfL Wolfsburg on Wednesday evening in the last game of 2023. "Ultimately, it's a very important three points before the winter break, which is really good," said sporting director Christoph Freund, summarising the result. "Huge credit to the players. In the end, it was a tough battle in the second half," said coach Thomas Tuchel. fcbayern.com has rounded up all the reaction for you.
Reaction to the match against Wolfsburg
Christoph Freund: “It was clear that we had to fight through because the personnel situation is very tight. We played a good first half and fought back in the second half. Ultimately, it's a very important three points before the winter break, which is really good."
Thomas Tuchel: “Huge credit to the players. In the end, it was a tough battle in the second half because we sadly lost control after conceding and the change of ends. That's why we had to ensure that we defended cleanly to the end and we managed to do that. After the defeat in Frankfurt, we’ve now had three consecutive wins. That was a great reaction, especially with the injury and illness situation of our squad. We're playing to our own limits. The points average is very good, and the team's morale and attitude have been very good for many weeks. We have to keep working on ourselves and keep at it.”
Manuel Neuer: "We achieved what we set out to achieve. We played a good first half and had to fight in the second. That was the only possible option due to the personnel situation we’ve found ourselves in. We had to work hard to take home the three points, which we deserved. We're glad that we now have a short break and are looking forward to hopefully having a full squad again. We're happy with the first half of the season, we've had ups and downs, but we're basically on target."
Harry Kane: "It was a very important win. We played very well in the first half, controlled the game and the tempo. The goal we conceded changed the momentum a bit. They put a bit more pressure on us in the second half. Huge credit to the team. The reaction we've shown since the defeat in Frankfurt has been great. It was a good start for us, but of course there's still room for improvement. We have to keep at it and keep pushing ourselves. Now we can enjoy the break with our families and get back on track in the new year."
Reaction from the Wolfsburg camp
Sebastian Schindzielorz (sporting director, VfL Wolfsburg): "The key was in the first half, where Bayern clearly dominated. We didn't get into the game. It was better in the second half with the change of ends, but we didn't create any clear-cut chances."
Niko Kovač (head coach, VfL Wolfsburg): "The first ten minutes were okay. Then we didn't do well and were too passive. We didn't put up a real fight in the first half. With the changes in the second half we defended with a higher line and more aggressively. We showed a completely different face. Unfortunately, we didn't reap the rewards for the effort we put in during the second half."
Maximilian Arnold (VfL Wolfsburg): "The goal was the only positive thing in the first half, otherwise we weren't good. It was better in the second half. You always need a lot of courage against Bayern. In the second half, we put our respect aside and played much better."
Read about the key points of the match in the report:
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