Borussia Mönchengladbach will host VfL Bochum on Saturday (15.30, RS-Liveticker). Coach Daniel Farke talks about the current situation and personnel situation at the Foals.
Before the home game against VfL Bochum, the mood could be better in the Borussia Mönchengladbach environment. The departures of several key players, the unsuccessful series with only one win from nine games and the disappointing 1:2 at relegation candidate VfB Stuttgart are causing discontent among many fans of the Bundesliga club.
The defeat in Stuttgart was by no means the first slip-up against a team from the bottom of the table. After the final whistle, many supporters in the visitors’ block demonstratively turned their backs on the team.
This did not go down well with coach Daniel Farke – although the 46-year-old explained at the press conference before the Bochum game that his statements were “partly somewhat abbreviated”. “Of course I could understand that the fans were disappointed. I also didn’t agree with how sleepy and clumsy we acted in parts.”
Farke went on to say that he wanted to “fulfil the fans’ wishes and expectations”, “and do the best possible with the current team. Of course, I’m also concerned with setting the club up well for the future and bringing in new energy.”
The coach emphasised: “Internally, we are very critical of each other and openly address things that are not going well. But I don’t think it’s conducive to me publicly bashing the team. “
Despite their poor performances in recent weeks, the “Foals” will probably have nothing to do with relegation. It would be quite astonishing if they were to squander their eight-point lead over the relegation places in the last four matchdays.
Good for VfL: Gladbach’s top scorer Marcus Thuram (13) is not yet fit for action again after his injury. In addition, Ko Itakura, who has been playing in central defence, has to serve a red card suspension.
It was not yet clear on Thursday whether goalkeeper Jonas Omlin will be able to play. “The fact that he didn’t train today was a precautionary measure,” Farke said of the keeper, who had recently caught a cold. “I assume that he will be available on Saturday.” With Ramy Bensebaini, Manu Kone and Jonas Hofmann, three recently injured regulars are fit again.
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