1. FC Köln were held at home against Bayer 04 Leverkusen in the final Bundesliga match of 2016. Konstantin Rausch, Mergim Mavraj, and Peter Stöger react to the match.

Konstantin Rausch: “I think both teams ran out of gas at the end. What hurts for me personally is that we played three good matches but only gained a point in each. Surely there was more for us to take. Perhaps in the past two matches even more so than against Leverkusen, but overall I think we should be satisfied with how we played the first half of the season. I am looking forward now to shut off and recharge over the holidays.”

Mergim Mavraj: “In the first half I must say it was reminiscent of the Bremen match. But a team like Leverkusen only need one chance to strike. In the second half it was a hard-fought battle and I would say the 1-1 was a deserved result for both sides. I think we showed that we are capable of playing on a level field with any opponent. Perhaps the tactics differs from opponent to opponent, but the way we approach each match is worth noting. I think our point total is proof of our development in comparison to last season.”

Peter Stöger: “I liked our attitude from the start and I think we showed again why we are unbeaten at home this season. We conceded the equalizer at a really bad time and in the second half the match could have gone either way. I do not think tired legs are to blame because you can always get yourself back into the game mentally. I think at some point we may have been satisfied with the draw against Leverkusen because it is not an easy feat either. I would say Jonas [Hector] has really taken on a leadership role here. His experience with the national team and his ability to play multiple positions is a great asset for us.”