RB Leipzig head coach Julian Nagelsmann: "We were the better team, but Bayern Munich will be champions"
RB Leipzig are no longer thinking about winning this season's Bundesliga title after a 1-0 defeat to Bayern Munich cast them seven points adrift of the leaders with only seven games to go.
bundesliga.com rounds up the post-match reaction from both camps after an engaging top-of-the-table meeting at the Red Bull Arena…
Julian Nagelsmann (head coach): "It’s not a goal we should be conceding, but we still played very well. We pushed Bayern deep into their own half at various stages, but not for the first time this season we didn’t score. We have to learn from that. It’d help if we had a proper goal-getter, but we don’t. We were the better side, but have to make more of our chances. Now we have to let it sink in and get on with it. If the season goes as expected, Bayern will be champions. We want to finish second."
Watch: Julian Nagelsmann reflects on Leipzig's 1-0 loss to Bayern
Marcel Sabitzer (captain): "It’s tough to take - we dominated after the break and made in-roads in the final third, but didn't take our chances. We only have ourselves to blame for that. First we have to digest what happened. We want to finish second, and reach the DFB Cup final."
Oliver Mintzlaff (CEO): "It’s disappointing not to take anything from the game. It wasn’t undeserved for Bayern to go ahead because we dropped off after 25 minutes, but we came out really well at the start of the second half. We caused them problems, and I felt we could get a point. We had big chances, some clear-cut, that you have to convert. If you look at the class Bayern have, there's no point in us talking about the title any more."
Manuel Neuer (goalkeeper): "We didn’t give anything away before half-time, we were well organised and dealt well with any difficulties we had. Leipzig had more of the ball in the second half, but we defended well. It was an important step towards the title. We don’t want to throw it away."
Watch: Manuel Neuer shares his thoughts on the title race
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (forward): "It's not over yet, there's still a way to go. It was a very important game today, you could say a six-pointer. Football has its own stories. We have to continue as we are."
Watch: Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting warns against complacency
Hansi Flick (head coach): "It was a top game, and Leipzig showed why they’re right up there at the top. The put us under pressure from the start, we weren’t bold enough going forward. We found our feet after 20 minutes, and the goal settled the nerves. Leipzig game out well after the break, but we kept our cool. The morale in the team is excellent. It was an important step towards the title, but there are still seven games to go."
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