Tension and anticipation ahead of the final group game

The Foals depart for Spain on Tuesday afternoon ahead of their final group stage match in the Champions League against Real Madrid on Wednesday evening (21:00 CET).

It will be the last Champions League trip of 2020 for the Foals, and the most important one of the year. Tomorrow’s game at the Estadio Alfredo di Stefano will decide whether Borussia qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League as group winners for the first time in the club’s history. “We just need one final push after the results and performances that we’ve delivered so far in the group stages in order to qualify for the round of sixteen. We want to seize this opportunity with both hands and we’re doing our best to prepare for it,” said coach Marco Rose in the pre-match press conference ahead of the Foals’ departure. Naturally, there is a degree of pressure before such an important game. “We know how difficult the game in Madrid is going to be but we’re looking forward to it a lot.”

An exciting table in Group B

The standings in Group B could hardly be more tense, as all four teams still have the chance to progress to the knockout stages. Borussia are guaranteed to go through with a draw or a win, but a draw in the other game in Group B between Inter and Shakhtar would also be enough to see the Foals on their way to the round of sixteen. However, Rose expressed his lack of concern for the maths at the conference: “We’ll need an outstanding performance tomorrow no matter what happens. I have a lot of confidence in my team and hopefully we’ll be able to achieve a positive result on the night.”

19 outfield players on board

At 14:00 CET, the Foals took off on chartered flight X3 8958 from Düsseldorf to the Spanish capital. Three goalkeepers and 19 outfield players were in the Borussia squad for the game, amongst them Nico Elvedi, who is back from a recent period on the sidelines with a muscular issue. Not making the trip to Madrid are Tony Jantschke (knee problems), Jonas Hofmann (torn muscle in his thigh), and Ramy Bensebaini (positive corona test).