"Alright."
The room gradually quieted again.
"Everyone."
The players gathered loosely in front of him, sitting on benches or leaning back against their lockers. The coach stood in the center of the room, his expression calm but clearly pleased as he looked around at the squad.
"First of all," he began, "congratulations."
He gestured lightly toward the stadium outside the walls.
"That was… impressive."
Several players nodded, some exchanging glances with teammates who had played key roles in the goals.
"You came into a stadium where the opponent had everything to play for," he continued. "Champions League qualification. A full house. A crowd that believed today was their day."
He paused briefly.
"And you beat them 5–1."
A few smiles spread across the room again.
"That is not easy," Toppmöller added, shaking his head slightly. "Not here."
He let the moment settle before continuing.
"And because of that performance, we finish the Bundesliga season second."
