Borussia Mönchengladbach haven’t made a big impression in Spain to date. So much so that the 22,000 tickets for tomorrows Europa League game against Villarreal are printed with the name “Borusia.” Three points against the team who are currently eighth in the Spanish top-flight would confirm Gladbach as group winners.
“It would be hugely important for us because we could then concentrate fully on the Bundesliga until the winter break. Therefore, we ‘re going to do all we can to win tomorrow but we know it won’t be easy,” said Granit Xhaka, who was on Air-Berlin flight AB 1006 to Valenica on Wednesday with his teammates, who are hoping to bounce back after two defeats in a row.
"We need to be motivated and concentrate fully"
Borussia were unbeaten in the first eighteen competitive games of the season but have since lost consecutive games against Dortmund and Frankfurt. The momentum from the previous weeks has suddenly disappeared: The attacking impetus from players such as Raffael, Max Kruse and André Hahn has been tempered.
Borussia will be hoping to have put their most recent defeat behind them: “It’s important that we aren’t still angry when we play Villareal. We need to be motivated and concentrate fully,” said goalkeeper Yann Sommer. Group A is incredibly tight: If Borussia fail to win in Spain their game against FC Zürich on 11th December takes on huge significance.
Borussia will be hoping to play at a quick tempo once again. “Villareal are susceptible to the counter. They will want to retain possession throughout but we can hurt them on the break,” said Gladbach’s Spanish defender Alvaro Dominguez, who warned his teammates about the dangers of his compatriots: “They play good football and are technically good.”
Kramer, Stranzl and Johnson haven’t travelled
Lucien Favre is unable to call upon Christoph Kramer (Back problems), Martin Stranzl (Thigh injury) and Fabian Johnson (muscular problems) for the game in Spain. The trio didn’t travel with the squad, who will travel back from Valencia on Friday.
“If we perform well against Villareal we’ll need to make sure we do the same against Wolfsburg,” said Havard Nordtveit with a glance at Sunday’s huge match in the Bundesliga.
As an aside, it is worth noting that incorrect spelling was also present in the first meeting (1-1). The Spanish side’s team bus read “FC Villareal.”
[mmc/mb]
Borussia Mönchengladbach haven’t made a big impression in Spain to date. So much so that the 22,000 tickets for tomorrows Europa League game against Villarreal are printed with the name “Borusia.” Three points against the team who are currently eighth in the Spanish top-flight would confirm Gladbach as group winners.
“It would be hugely important for us because we could then concentrate fully on the Bundesliga until the winter break. Therefore, we ‘re going to do all we can to win tomorrow but we know it won’t be easy,” said Granit Xhaka, who was on Air-Berlin flight AB 1006 to Valenica on Wednesday with his teammates, who are hoping to bounce back after two defeats in a row.
"We need to be motivated and concentrate fully"
Borussia were unbeaten in the first eighteen competitive games of the season but have since lost consecutive games against Dortmund and Frankfurt. The momentum from the previous weeks has suddenly disappeared: The attacking impetus from players such as Raffael, Max Kruse and André Hahn has been tempered.
Borussia will be hoping to have put their most recent defeat behind them: “It’s important that we aren’t still angry when we play Villareal. We need to be motivated and concentrate fully,” said goalkeeper Yann Sommer. Group A is incredibly tight: If Borussia fail to win in Spain their game against FC Zürich on 11th December takes on huge significance.
Borussia will be hoping to play at a quick tempo once again. “Villareal are susceptible to the counter. They will want to retain possession throughout but we can hurt them on the break,” said Gladbach’s Spanish defender Alvaro Dominguez, who warned his teammates about the dangers of his compatriots: “They play good football and are technically good.”
Kramer, Stranzl and Johnson haven’t travelled
Lucien Favre is unable to call upon Christoph Kramer (Back problems), Martin Stranzl (Thigh injury) and Fabian Johnson (muscular problems) for the game in Spain. The trio didn’t travel with the squad, who will travel back from Valencia on Friday.
“If we perform well against Villareal we’ll need to make sure we do the same against Wolfsburg,” said Havard Nordtveit with a glance at Sunday’s huge match in the Bundesliga.
As an aside, it is worth noting that incorrect spelling was also present in the first meeting (1-1). The Spanish side’s team bus read “FC Villareal.”
