Tillman: Defeating Manchester City enhances our cohesion and confidence and we must continue this performance

In the fifth round of the UEFA Champions League, Tillman played the entire game and helped Leverkusen defeat Manchester City 2-0 away from home. He accepted interviews with the media after the game.

What are the key factors in defeating Manchester City?

I think it is our defense. This is a tough match. We know the strength of our opponent, but we are well prepared. Counterattacks always create a threat and that was the case today. We scored two goals and won the game.

Manchester City chose to rotate the lineup in this campaign.

We had extra motivation when we saw Manchester City's lineup. This was not the lineup we expected, which made us even more eager to further show our true strength. And today we did see the possibility of victory - and the final result confirmed it.

Responsibilities on the field

I think I enjoy a certain degree of freedom when controlling the ball. Under the two-forward system, the two forwards can not only create threats, but also control the ball at their feet when the team needs it. My job is to move between the midfield and the forwards, looking for passing opportunities and organizing coordination.

For a team that has gone through summer window reconstruction, what does such a victory mean? Will it make the team more united?

Indeed. Looking back at the past few weeks, everything is moving in the right direction. This victory will unite the team and boost confidence, but we still have two tough games ahead and we must continue this performance, otherwise today's victory will not help us much.