Bayer executive Simon Rolfes discussed his side’s determination to go through to the Europa League final after pulling off a 0-2 win over Roma in the first leg of the semifinal.
In an interview with Corriere della Sera, the German director said, “Our goal is to win the return match as well, we want to demonstrate our superiority. They certainly won’t waste as much time as they did a year ago, but I don’t know if it will be a calmer and more subdued match.”
“In the match from a week ago Roma attempted some rather clever fouls. They tried to be smart again. The referee reacted better, he was more reactive than a year ago. He calmed down the provocations and didn’t consider every dive a foul.”
“We had a good foundation a year ago, but we were missing some pieces of the puzzle,” he added. “Xhaka brought us experience, intelligence and cunning at the center of the pitch. Boniface was very important at the beginning when Schick was missing. It was essential to have a squad that could make up for the absences that would occur during the year.”
“Our game system allows us to create many opportunities. It’s not just one player who knows how to score in added time, it’s the whole team capable of doing so. When, in a season, 13 players score from the 80th minute onwards, it certainly cannot be a coincidence.”
