Werder head coach Thomas Schaaf wasn’t all too dissatisfied as he headed into the changing rooms after the game: “I don’t want to do too much complaining. We saw a very intensive game with two sides that played very passionately. We didn’t take our chances but it was ok, we made a step forward and there was certainly a development to be seen,” commented Schaaf, and general manager Klaus Allofs was in absolute agreement: “I am quite satisfied with the result considering our personnel problems – we were without Wiese, Mertesacker, Diego and Pizarro but we still managed to come from behind and rescue a point. Today we took a step in the right direction.”

Torsten Frings was also convinced by the slow but positive trend: “We really gave our all and battled right to the death. We always speak with one another on the pitch but that was particularly noticeable today. That’s how it has to be, praise is important but also reprimand. There is a lot we can take from today into the up-coming games.”

In the next week, with three successive home games against Bayer Leverkusen, Hertha BSC Berlin and Panathinaikos Athens, Werder are most definitely well prepared and also well aware of the dangers that can be connected with four draws in nine Bundesliga games. Klaus Allofs stated very clearly: “We are not careless. We are not happy about the fact that we have taken so few points. A win today would have helped us, not just for the moment, but for the whole season. We are left just jogging on the spot now.”