Champions League leg 2 R16 – Borussia Dortmund 0-3 Juventus
Jürgen Klopp, Dortmund coach
We totally deserve to have gone out. It is not a big problem, other teams have gone out in this round. Now we can fully focus on the Bundesliga and the German Cup, so elimination will not harm us. If there was one thing to be seen tonight then it was that we don’t deserve to continue playing Champions League this season.
In previous years, the teams who have ousted us have gone on to win the trophy. Juventus are very strong and tonight they were too strong for us. They are a complete football team, who defend well and passionately and are incredibly dangerous in transition. If they don’t pick up injuries, they will be there or thereabouts. But you also have to say that only a few teams will make things as easy for them as we did.
If you don’t shoot on goal, you have a relatively big problem scoring goals. We did some things right, but as soon as we got into dangerous areas, I cannot remember a lot of moves where we really threatened. That was more down to us than the way Juve defended. We were willing, but that is not a huge compliment. Sure, we did not enjoy the greatest of starts, but that does not mean we are allowed to shoot on goal just twice in the remaining 87 minutes.
If you look at our attacking moves today, you can see that we simply made too many wrong decisions. Juventus’s opener would not have been a chance for us, had we been in that position. It is the oldest of all rules in football – if you don’t shoot, you cannot score. This is something we have to urgently and immediately change.
Massimiliano Allegri, Juventus coach
I cannot say now where we stand compared to the big guns. We have realised that we have great strength – technically and physically, the players just have to realise this now. We have left an exclamation mark in Europe as we have played two very strong games and today we were technically even better than in the first leg. After the group stage we have developed further and stepped up our game. We will now see if we face one of the magical four: Barça, PSG, Madrid or Bayern. We have produced two massive performances. I am very pleased and two more are coming up.
I have tried to show the team the necessary calm, because we are capable of playing very good football. In the quarter-finals, only top teams await us, but it is written nowhere that we cannot beat them. We are in top shape and ooze confidence. [Arturo] Vidal, who is sometimes a little impulsive, has played technically and tactically perfectly today. A display like that from a key player lifts your entire side.
[Carlos] Tévez is having a great season – especially in the UEFA Champions League he has had some unbelievable moments. He is playing for the team and reads the game well. There is absolutely no doubt about his technical ability and his character. This was a big success for us, as it got us through against opponents who have impressed a lot in recent years in the UEFA Champions League. This was anything but an easy task, but over 180 minutes we allowed them just two chances. That impressed me a lot.
Paul Pogba is not quite sure what his injury is right now. We will know more tomorrow. The international break comes at the right time. I am a fan of keeping it simple, but to do that is one of the most difficult things in football. Today, and in the first leg, the team managed to make difficult things look easy.
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