Super Eagles forward Nathan Tella couldn’t hide his disappointment after Bayer Leverkusen crashed out of the DFB Pokal following their 2-0 semi-final defeat to Bayern Munich on Wednesday, Footynaija.com reports.
Goals from Harry Kane and Luis Diaz proved decisive at the Bay Arena, sending the Bundesliga champions into the final, where they will face either Stuttgart or Freiburg, marking their first appearance in the showpiece since 2020.
Leverkusen showed some promising signs during the game, particularly in the second half where they saw more of the ball. However, they failed to create anything of note and ultimately fell short in front of home support.
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Reacting to the defeat, Tella, who was very complimentary of Bayern Munich admitted his disappointment with the result before swiftly pointing out the need for Bayer Leverkusen to switch full attention to the Bundesliga.
“We know we played against maybe the best team in the world and as a team, we had the opportunity to get into the final,” he said in a post-match interview revealed by Kicker.
“We wanted to do that and I think the first half we were a bit slow, but, the second half we had better performances and created more chances and ultimately it wasn’t enough today.
“It is disappointing that we were unable to do it. But, we still have games in the league to push as high as we can and that’s where the focus is now.”
Bayer Leverkusen are still chasing Champions League qualification
Bayer Leverkusen, currently sixth place on the Bundesliga standings, find themselves lagging in the race to qualify for next season’s UEFA Champions League tournament. However, with four matches to go and only four points separating them from a qualification spot, Tella remains confident.
“Of course, it is still our goal. We want to play in the best competition in the world and play against the best teams in the world,” he added. “It is down to us, we have to win these games and we have got the perfect opportunity on Saturday.”
Leverkusen travel to the RheinEnergieSTADION on Saturday where they’ll be looking to pick up vital points against mid-table strugglers FC Koln.
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