The DFB Cup gives Borussia Mönchengladbach a great chance of winning the title this season. After the defeat at FC Bayern Munich, sports director Roland Virkus formulated a clear ambition for the quarter-finals.
After the defeat at FC Bayern Munich, Borussia Mönchengladbach’s full focus is on the DFB Cup and the extraordinary prospect of winning the title this football season. On Wednesday, the three-time cup winners have the chance to move into the semi-finals against frightening favorites 1. FC Saarbrücken.
“We are playing against a team from the 3rd league where you have to have the right to progress,” said sports director Roland Virkus after Borussia lost 3-1 on Saturday in the fight for Bundesliga points in Munich. However, Virkus added: “We are going to Saarbrücken with warning because they won against Bayern and Frankfurt.”
Record winners Bayern Munich defeated the Saarland team 2-1 in the second round and Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0 in the round of 16. You have to play “more creatively when in possession of the ball” in Saarbrücken, warned Virkus. The last of Gladbach’s three cup victories came in 1995. There were also title wins in 1960 and 1973.
Gladbach sports director about knockout against FC Bayern: “There was more to it”
In addition to Gladbach, only the winner of the game Bayer Leverkusen against VfB Stuttgart can reach the semi-finals from the Bundesliga. The second division teams Fortuna Düsseldorf and 1. FC Kaiserslautern had achieved this so far.
Virkus rated the defeat in Munich after Nico Elvedi’s opening goal as “bitter because more could have been possible for us. If we were courageous in possession of the ball, we could hurt Bayern.” In the end, two individual mistakes led to defeat.
The decisive factor was a mistake by goalkeeper Moritz Nicolas before Bayern striker Harry Kane made it 2-1. “He has to go through it regardless of the losses,” said the Gladbach sports director about the goalkeeper’s failed attempt to defend against a cross.
But he didn’t blame Nicolas because he delivered good performances overall. “The boy is coming off too badly,” said Virkus when assessing the 26-year-old.