Dortmund character has Klopp beaming
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Article summary
Borussia Dortmund coach Jürgen Kloppwas delighted with the way his team battled back to earn a point against Arsenal FC, saying "We were brave and in the end we were rewarded for it".
Article top media content
Article body
Dortmund coach Jürgen Klopp
I am very satisfied with the performance of my team. Arsenal are a very attacking side and we were able to hold them. We were rewarded with one point from a hard fight and it is great for this young team to have achieved this draw.
We were cheeky, we were brave and in the end we were rewarded for it. We enjoyed playing; we put them under constant pressure for almost the entire 90 minutes. We could have had a bit more luck with some of our chances, but I am very pleased. The goal will make it into every Champions League trailer.
Our pressing was great. Arsenal could have played much better if we had allowed them to. We had great chances, especially in the first half. We have shown a reaction [after the Bundesliga loss to Hertha BSC Berlin] and fought until the end.
Arsenal assistant manager Pat Rice
We battled really hard and we knew it would be a hard, hard game. To be able to defend well is a high-quality skill and that is something all of our players did this evening. I shouldn't think many teams will come to Dortmund and beat them and we were very, very close to doing that.
Don't forget Dortmund are a really good side. There is no question about that. Would we have liked to have won the game? Of course we would. We were so close and so very, very near but I should imagine that [Ivan Perišić] could try that 25, 30, 40 times and he would hit it over the bar or at the goalkeeper. It was a great goal.
