Super Eagles forward Nathan Tella has revealed the inspiration behind his match-winning goal in Bayer Leverkusen’s DFB Pokal triumph over Bayern Munich.
Tella praised his fellow Nigerian, Victor Boniface, and Leverkusen teammate Patrick Schick for their roles in motivating him during the clash against the 32-time Bundesliga champions, footballrover reports.
The 25-year-old delivered the decisive moment of the game on Tuesday night, heading in Alex Grimaldo’s sweet cross in the 68th minute to seal a 1-0 victory over Bayern.
Bayern Munich found themselves at a disadvantage early on when goalkeeper Manuel Neuer received a red card, leaving them to play with 10 men for the majority of the match.
Nathan Tella draws inspiration from Super Eagles’ Boniface for DFB Pokal winner
Reflecting on the hard-fought win, Tella praised Bayer Leverkusen’s composure.
He acknowledged the challenge of maintaining focus even after Bayern’s numerical disadvantage, emphasising the importance of patience and avoiding the temptation to rush for a quick finish.
“I knew once Grimaldo had the ball wide, he was going to deliver into the box. I’ve watched Patrick and Victor a lot this season. They’re excellent at positioning between defenders and the post, so I thought if I got into the same position, I’d have a chance.
“Thankfully, the ball was perfect, and I managed to score,” Tella told the club’s media.
Despite Bayern’s ability to create dangerous chances, Leverkusen stayed resolute. Tella expressed pride in contributing to the team’s effort and hailed their ability to remain calm under pressure.
The Nigerian international also revealed Bayer Leverkusen’s ambition to retain the DFB Pokal title, which they clinched last season under manager Xabi Alonso.
“We’re excited for the next round. We won this competition last year, and it’s ours to lose. We’ll stay motivated, focus on the next game, and keep building on this momentum,” he said.
The victory against Bayern is a step closer to achieving that goal.
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