Borussia Dortmund manager Jurgen Klopp was finding it hard to come to terms with the agonizing loss in the Champions League final to Bayern Munich, but still had time to not just congratulate his own players but his opponents, and in particular, Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes.
Arjen Robben broke Dortmund's hearts by scoring a delectable winner in the 89th minute, just when it looked like Klopp's young side had done enough to take the game to extra time.
"I have to say congratulations to Bayern, of course -- congratulations to Jupp Heynckes, I really think he deserves this trophy," Klopp said. "It was a close match and at one point it was so open we could have won it.
"Our defensive work was incredibly good and that helped us to keep the game open. There were a few things we might have done differently, but in the end Bayern scored twice and us once.
"I've seen all the Champions League finals recently and not one of them finished without the result being in doubt at some point."
Klopp admitted disappointment was overwhelming other emotions at the moment, but said he was proud of his team's performance, who against all odds made it all the way to the final at Wembley.
"I need a moment to feel proud again but I'm sure it's slumbering within me -- I am proud of my team, but at the moment it's the disappointment that prevails," Klopp added. "That's normal. When you strive for something and don't get it, it hurts.
"They team gave all they had, they were so passionate about it -- they really deserved to equalise. We deserved to be in the final; we showed that tonight and that was important to us.
"I feel the pride coming up in me and the sadness going away. It was a great season from my team and a really, really, really good match -- maybe the best against Bayern in this Champions League season, and you know who they've played."
Klopp, if he can keep his side together, has a side capable of threatening any top team in Europe, and the manager is now targeting the Champions League final in Berlin in 2015.
"Now we start again," he said. "In two years it will be in Berlin -- and maybe that would be a good place to come back to the Champions League final. I hope next year we'll have even more quality and the game will move on."
