Claudio Pizarro: The team which is mentally stronger will win the Bundesliga this season

The forward spoke on former club Bremen's forwards and the ongoing title race.

Peruvian forward Claudio Pizarro enjoyed cult status during his Bundesliga career. Currently a club ambassador for Bayern Munich, Pizarro enjoyed a long and goal-filled career with Werder Bremen, Bayern Munich, and Koln. Pizarro also had a two-year spell at Chelsea.

A classic number nine with the knack of being in the right place at the right time, his predatory instinct helped him notch up 236 goals in 596 appearances across his club career. For Peru, he earnt 85 caps and scored 20 goals. He is the sixth highest goalscorer in the Bundesliga, and has played the most games for a foreign player. Pizarro spoke to Bundesliga an in interview.

Why do you think Bayern was struggling this season?

“Yeah, I think it was not a great season. Everyone was expecting a different season for Bayern. But football is like that. Sometimes these difficult situations come and you have to get over them. It is not easy at the moment. Bayern isn’t in the Champions League and that gets a little bit in the head of the players. You have to be mentally strong to get over that and I think the players are trying to do that. They have to concentrate on the Bundesliga now and try to win all the games so that at least they will win the Bundesliga. It will be very important for the team after what has happened in the other competitions.”

Did you endure similar periods as a player and what helped you get through them?

“Yeah, of course. We had many difficult situations. You have to try to be positive and think: ‘Why are you there?’. The qualities you have, and of course, train harder. That’s the only way to get out of these difficult situations. You have to train harder; you have to work harder. And then everything will go well or better because of the quality you have. If you are in this team, you have the quality and you have to try to stick together and get out of this situation.”

What do you like about Thomas Tuchel’s FC Bayern side? How have Bayern changed since he took over?

“Well, it’s a bit difficult to say that at the moment. They came to the team in a difficult situation. Before two important games, he didn’t have the time maybe to show his abilities to the team. But I think he’s a very good coach. And what I could see from this short time is the pressure that Bayern presses with when they don’t have the ball. They try to get the ball back fast. And that’s important to have control of the game. I like that. I always like to have control of the game and to have the ball. That’s a thing that I could see that is important for the team.”

How strong have Borussia Dortmund been this season?

“They had so many chances to get in front and widen the gap with points, and win games. But they didn’t do it. And I can’t understand that. When you have this chance, you normally try to focus more in these situations, to win the games, to get in front, to get more points, and win the league. And they haven’t done that. They had so many chances. So, I don’t think this time they are going to do it. They are going to be the same as last year. In the end, Bayern is mentally strong and they will win the league.”

How have you enjoyed the title race this season? What have the highlights been for you?

“It’s very exciting. It’s very exciting for every fan of football. And that’s also interesting. In the Bundesliga, maybe in the last years, Bayern was winning the league easily. And this year, the race to win the league is more exciting. And I’m really happy that it’s like that.

The people are enjoying the Bundesliga more and we will see at the end which is the mentally stronger team. And that team is going to win the league.”

After the defeat against Bayern München, does Werder Bremen have to be concerned about relegation?

“No, I don’t think so. It was a strange year for Bremen because they started really well. They won so many games. And that mentality at the end, they start to lose some games and lose some points. That’s important. But I think they will come back again. They have a good team, they did really well at the beginning. They will come back, and they will start to win the games again. And they will be in the league next year as well, yes.”

Bremen have a dangerous front line in Füllkrug and Ducksch. Why do they play so well together?

“Yeah, I think first it is the experience. They both have experience. I think a little bit more for maybe Niclas. He is a player with some years in the Bundesliga, he knows exactly what to do and he’s scored so many goals. Now, I think he’s in front leading as the top scorer.

Yeah, I think they have been playing together for a long time now. They understand each other very, very well. The team is also playing for them so they can score many goals.

That’s also important for the striker, to get confidence and score goals. That’s what the team needs from their strikers.”

What makes Füllkrug so good as a striker?

“I have known Niclas since he started his career because he started at Bremen. And then he went to Hannover and other teams. So I know him very, very well. I knew him when he was young and then I played with him after he came back to Bremen. So I knew that he is a player who likes to fight, has a big temperament, and always tries to score goals. And now the difference might just be the experience he has. He knows a lot about where to stay, what moment you start to run and things like that. Things the young players may not know just yet. And that helps a lot to score many goals. I think that’s the difference between Niclas in the beginning and Niclas Füllkrug now. That’s why he’s scoring so many goals and why he’s so important for Werder.”

Does Füllkrug have what it takes to become a top striker in your opinion?

“Yeah, I think he was ready maybe years ago. But of course, it’s very important for him to show that so people can see what he is capable of doing. Now that he’s going to the national team and scoring goals there, it will help a lot. Of course, we will see what happens and whether he’s ready to go to the next step.”

You were a classic number nine as a player. How important is it for a team to have an out-and-out goal scorer?

“I still think that it’s very important. But it depends a lot on the system that the manager plays. Whether he wants to play with or without a nine. But for me, it’s always important to have a striker who can head the ball when the wingers cross the ball, things like that. You need somebody to hold the ball when the situation is very difficult. So you always need a striker there in front.”

Who do you think will win the Bundesliga?

“I think Bayern will win. I think Bayern will win because they have to. It’s very important for them to win the game if they want to win the league. That is very important for them this season.”