“We need to be braver at home” - #BMGM05 reaction

We gathered the thoughts of the players and coaches after Borussia’s 1-1 draw with Mainz 05 on Sunday evening.

Lars Stindl: We saw two very different halves. I think we played well in the first 45 and could have been further ahead at the break. If we had led by two, I think it would have been hard for Mainz to come back. We just didn’t get going in the second half. Mainz took control of the game, we couldn’t get any respite and we only winning the ball back in our own defensive third. We were lucky to come away with a point in the end, not to mention Yann Sommer’s heroics.

Yann Sommer: It’s been an ongoing theme that we have a good first half, control proceedings and create a number of chances, but then it all changes after the break. We allowed ourselves to be outplayed too easily, more and more gaps appeared, we didn’t have a foothold in the game and we lost our compactness. We wanted to just carry on like we had done in the first half, but we got shut down too easily and didn’t make the right runs. We need to work on that. I’m happy that I was able to react quickly for my saves. We’re lucky not to have lost the game.

Breel Embolo: I think 1-1 is a fair result. I thought we played really well in the first half. We wanted to be quick on the ball and we managed that well. We were too passive in the second half, allowed our opponents to come at us and failed to create enough chances ourselves. We need to be braver at home and want the ball the ball more so that we can create chances. Special thanks has to go to Yann Sommer after that performance for sure. He's such an important last line of defence for us, week in, week out. It’s nice to have a goalkeeper like him behind you. We need to analyse the game now and try and produce a good performance over 90 minutes next week.

Adi Hütter: There were two very different halves to the game. Mainz had the better goalscoring opportunities, but Yann Sommer earned us a point at the end of the day with some extraordinary saves. I was really happy with the first half because our positional play was really good. We dominated our opponents. It’s a shame that we couldn’t go in at half time 2-0 up. Mainz then made some good changes and caused us problems. They upped the tempo in the second half, but we also made too many mistakes and didn’t produce the same good positional play. We couldn’t keep hold of the ball up front to gives us a chance to get out. All in all, it’s a deserved draw.

Mainz 05 head coach Bo Svensson: It was a story of two halves. Gladbach were clearly the better side in the first 45. We were too passive, too sloppy and at times nervous I felt. The lads were critical of themselves at the break and then we were the much better team in the second half. We worked some really nice chances and deserved the equaliser. I think that it’s a fair result. We can learn a lot from both halves.

Lars Stindl: "We were lucky to come away with a point in the end"
Yann Sommer: "It’s been an ongoing theme"

03.04.2022

Reitz makes his first start for Germany U21s

On Friday, four Foals were in action for their respective national sides - Manu Koné and France U23s came out on top in their hard-fought friendly fixture, while Luca Netz and Rocco Reitz picked up a point from their EURO 2025 qualifier. However, Grant-Leon Ranos and Armenia fell to defeat in their friendly against Kosovo.

22.03.2024

Scally’s USA into Nations League final

Borussia right-back Joe Scally’s USA side have reached the final of the CONCACAF Nations League after a 3-1 extra-time win over Jamaica.

22.03.2024

Match reaction from friendly against KAS Eupen

We got the reactions of head coach Gerardo Seoane, Jonas Omlin and Lukas Ullrich following the 2-0 friendly win against KAS Eupen.

21.03.2024