We decided at home! A sensational 2-0 victory over Anderlecht, which secured our qualification to the knockout stage of the Europa League. At the post-match press conference, coach Miroslav Koubek answered the questions of journalists.

What do you value most today?

I value above all the success in terms of the club´s reputation. At the moment we are the first Czech team to reach the knockout stage. In terms of performance, it was great. It is easy to prepare today because you have a lot of material, but the players have to follow the instructions on the field. And the boys did that very well. I´m proud of them. It was a sensational win that could have ended with an even higher goal difference.

Are you pleasantly surprised by the team´s performance after the autumn break?

The preparation was short. Already from the preparatory matches I felt that our performance could be competitive. As we have already indicated, our performance increased during the training camp. We had a bit of a rough start with Paderborn, but everything culminated in an excellent performance against AIK Stockholm. I´m glad that the break didn´t affect us negatively.

How did you enjoy the end of the game? Is it a historic victory for you?

Advancing to the spring stage of the European Cups is always a great achievement. We are proud to have done it again. We´ve been playing continuous games in Europe for a year and a half now, which is a great achievement in itself. We are happy that we are able to maintain this level. We know what to expect from the team. The team has great character and potential. It´s young and some players are still gaining experience, but when they get the opportunity they can make great use of it.

What do you see as the strength of the defensive trio with the goalkeeper that works so well?

It´s the chemistry. The players have been playing together for a long time. You always build the lineup from the back, and our defensive line is a great support. They´ve kept their performance and health stable. I think even the Anderlecht coach has highlighted their quality. They´re sharp, they read the game well. They were all excellent today.