Khedira claims Bayern’s time-wasting shows “how much they respect us”

Here are Rani Khedira’s comments after Union Berlin’s 2-3 defeat to Bayern Munich in the DFB Pokal.

Union Berlin midfielder Rani Khedira didn’t hide his frustration after the narrow 2-3 DFB Pokal loss to Bayern Munich, describing the result as “an unlucky defeat” largely shaped by Union’s own mistakes: “We practically scored three own goals,” Khedira said, pointing to a night in which set pieces – normally a Union strength – ultimately decided the match in Bayern’s favour.

Khedira emphasised that Bayern created very little from open play. “They could hardly achieve anything through normal play,” he noted, underlining Union’s strong defensive organisation outside dead-ball situations.

The Union captain also interpreted Bayern’s behaviour in the second half as a sign of respect: “When you play against a team like Bayern and they start wasting time right after the halftime break, it shows you how much they respect you,” he remarked.