Rose: “We’re looking forward to taking on such a big opponent!”

In a virtual pre-match press conference at BORUSSIA-PARK on Monday, the Foals’ head coach Marco Rose and centre-back Matthias Ginter faced the media ahead of Tuesday night’s Champions League home game against Real Madrid (21:00 CET).

Head coach Marco Rose on:

…the squad: “I’m not going to reveal anything about the starting XI for tomorrow. Every player who’s been in training has the chance to start the match. We have all the boys who played on Saturday available for selection and there aren’t any new injuries to worry about. It’s possible that László Bénes will be back in the squad and the same can be said for Valentino Lazaro, although he has only completed a few sessions back with the team. We’re aiming to integrate him back into the squad more gradually.”

…the upcoming opponents: “It’s obviously very special to be playing against Real Madrid and we’re really looking forward to going up against a world-class opponent like them. Madrid have got some incredible footballers in their ranks and they play at an unbelievably high standard, but even a team like them can have an off day. We have to take advantage of any of the mistakes that they make and take the game to them. If we go out and fight, I think we can surprise them.”

...Borussia’s history against Real Madrid: “History and tradition always have a role to play at Borussia, but that will be no help to us tomorrow. We have to deal with the here and now, not live in the past. Real Madrid have a top squad of players who are all incredibly talented, so we have a very difficult task ahead of us.”

...Borussia’s chances in the Champions League: “We’re a club with a lot of ambition, but we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves. We want to prove ourselves in the Champions League and achieve positive results, but we need to focus on taking our chances in the next game against Madrid for now. That’s what it’s all about at the end of the day, but we know it’s a big challenge for all of us.”

...Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane: “For me he was one of the best footballers of all time and I’m happy to see that he’s chosen to stay in football as a coach. His experience, calmness and clarity are three of the things that mark him out as being so special. It will be a great honour for me to meet such a great coach and such a great man tomorrow.”

...Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos: “Sergio Ramos is a natural leader, an outstanding defender and a fantastic goalscorer to boot. He knows when to push forwards and is very unpleasant to defend against, but we have some great players like Matthias Ginter and Nico Elvedi who will be able to hold their own against someone of his calibre and quality. We have to learn to give as good as we get without becoming unsportsmanlike.”

...lessons learned from the Inter game: “In Milan, I think we had too much respect for the opponent for long periods of the game. But we’ve taken a lot of positives from it and we’re hoping to be able to prove ourselves against a very strong opponent again tomorrow, and to achieve a good result if possible.”

Matthias Ginter on:

...the game against Real Madrid: “Last season we worked really hard for a chance to play in the Champions League and with Real Madrid, Inter, and Shakhtar Donetsk, we’ve got a real cracker of a group. For us players, the coaches and everybody around us at the club as a whole, it’s going to be something very special to play against Real Madrid tomorrow night at BORUSSIA-PARK. We’re all looking forward to it a great deal, but naturally it’s a big shame that the stadium will be almost empty for the occasion.”

...possible factors for success in the game: “We shouldn’t give them too much respect, that’s for sure. But there are a number of other factors that play a role as well. As the underdog in a tie like this, it’s important to get the basics right out there, which means starting the game on the right foot and staying committed in duels. We have to be comfortable on the ball too. All of this is at a much higher level of intensity than normal. We’re aiming to start as we mean to go on in the game and bring a lot of energy out onto the pitch with us, which is something we can definitely work on. We know that Madrid might not necessarily be performing at their best, which would also work in our favour.”

...Real Madrid attacker Karim Benzema: “His record speaks for itself really. He’s a top striker who has been playing at the highest level of the game for years now. He’s the type of attacker who can look quiet in games, but then he suddenly pops up in the right place at the right time to punish you. It’s very difficult to defend against him but I think that as a team, we have what it takes to deal with him. I did play against him a few years ago, so I know a bit about the way that he plays.”

...Jonas Hofmann’s great run of form: “We’re all very pleased that he’s playing so well. I’ve known him for quite some time now, thanks in part to our time together at Dortmund. I’ve always gotten along well with him. I’m also really happy for him that he was called up to the national team and he was able to make his debut. He sets high standards for himself and he’s meeting them with two penalties and four assists already this season.”

…Borussia’s defence: “It’s the whole team’s job to create chances going forward, score goals and also work hard defensively. We won’t be able to score two or three goals in every game, which is why we need to concede fewer goals. There isn’t an easy, straightforward way to do that, though.”

…the impact of the coronavirus pandemic: “There’s still a difference between playing at home and away. You always want there to be as many fans in the stadium as possible, but that’s obviously not possible at the moment due to the coronavirus pandemic. It was a shame in Milan that not many fans could be there. Usually our fans are our twelfth man at our home games – they stand behind us. They’re also always there to support us at away games.”

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