Hütter: “You can see the boys are getting more confident”

Head coach Adi Hütter and sporting director Roland Virkus spoke to the media on Friday at the press conference ahead of Sunday’s (17:30 CEST) home game against 1. FSV Mainz 05. We’ve summarised the most important points.

Adi Hütter on…

… team news: Tony Jantschke has coronavirus, Marcus Thuram got injured in training and will be out of the game on Sunday. Luca Netz will also be out through injury and Jonas Hofmann will probably return to training next week. Marvin Friedrich isn’t able to compete at this level at the moment because his blood readings weren’t where they need to be after his coronavirus and flu infections.

… the condition of Matthias Ginter and Yann Sommer: Matthias Ginter trained again on Friday. I’m expecting him to play on Sunday. Yann Sommer is also back in training after recovering from Covid. I’m optimistic about him too.

… Lars Stindl possibly returning to the starting XI: Of course, he’s a potential candidate for the starting lineup given his experience and quality. Lars trained well and has shown that he’s in a good condition again. He is definitely an option for Sunday.

… the fans at the stadium: I’m pleased that I can be back on the sideline after my coronavirus infection. Above all, here at BORUSSIA-PARK it is incredibly fun when there are a lot here. Even when capacity was limited at 20,000 you still got the feeling of a sell-out crowd, because those 20,000 created an incredible atmosphere. The fans obviously have their own expectations and will want to see that the team does everything to win. If our performance matches that, I’m confident that the result will match, too.

… Gladbach’s confidence: I was really impressed with the game against Hertha. There was a lot of pressure to win and the implemented a lot of my ideas on how I like to play football. They closed down well, pressed effectively and also found solutions on the ball. You can see the boys are getting more confident. We’re holding our heads higher and looking upwards.

… Mainz’s strengths: Mainz are one of the toughest sides in the Bundesliga. They contest the most challenges, run a lot and put you under pressure for the full 90 minutes. We will need to find solutions. We need to be ready to take on the game, just like we did in Bochum. In Jonathan Burkardt and Karim Onisiwo, Mainz have two players that constantly play high up on the pitch. They are very aggressive, don’t afford you much space at the back and force you into a lot of tackles. We need to be prepared to resist by playing with passion and a willingness to fight hard and to run. I’m confident that we will deliver a strong performance at home.

… Algeria’s dramatic elimination in the World Cup playoffs: We need to support Ramy Bensebaini and help him to pick himself up again. He’s a proud Algerian, who loves to play for his country. Understandably, he’s still processing what has happened. But, we will all be there to support him so that he can be back to his best on Sunday.

Roland Virkus on…

… the importance of the game against Mainz when looking ahead to next season: We are always in the midst of planning for what’s next alongside to our normal matchday operations, regardless of the results. We are focused on this important game against Mainz right now.

… a potentially sold-out crowd at BORUSSIA-PARK: Football is an emotional sport. Those emotions are obviously better felt if you have 40,000 or more fans in the stadium. That’s always the best and most honest feedback any team receives. Fans can also help lift up the players, however. You could see how important the fans are to our team in our last home game against Hertha. They will once again have a key role against Mainz.

… Patrick Herrmann: Patrick’s contract runs until the end of this season. We have held discussions with him and it’s obvious to us that we want to extend his contract.

… Borussia’s U23: We have been without several players throughout the season, whether due to injury to Covid-19. When key players are missing, or aren’t playing to their best, then it means that the team has a dip in self-confidence. Our U23s are an important part of our club and I’m confident that they will manage to stay up, as soon as their personnel issues are resolved.