At the press conference ahead of the Foals’ away game at FC Schalke 04 (Saturday 18:30 CEST), head coach Daniel Farke answered journalists’ questions.
Head coach Daniel Farke on...
...the squad’s condition: Lars Stindl will unfortunately miss the game as he is still in rehab. Torben Müssel has received a blow to his knee and the game has come too early for him. Otherwise, the rest of the squad is available.
...Marvin Friedrich’s return: Marvin Friedrich had a brilliant pre-season but unfortunately got injured at an important stage. He had a good week in training and is an option for Saturday’s starting eleven, but we have to be a little bit careful with him after his muscle injury. We want to reintroduce him to the team slowly.
...his expectations for the away game at Schalke: We are really looking forward to this start after our good start. We know full well that it will be a very difficult task. There’s a lot of excitement at Schalke following their promotion. The club is a powerhouse and bedrock of the Bundesliga that belongs in this division. The atmosphere at Schalke is always great – especially in front of a sold-out crowd. It will be an emotionally charged game, for sure. From my perspective, it’s important that we remain cool. We should play with passion but keep a cool head.
...the upcoming opponents: Schalke looked confident against Köln. From watching the game, it’s obvious that certain things went against them. However, even after the red card, I didn’t think Köln dominated. The club strengthened very sensibly during the transfer period. I’m of the opinion that Schalke have every chance to have a good season and to reach their targets for the season. Nonetheless, we want to bring our game on Saturday and win.
...the wins over Oberachern and Hoffenheim to start the season: Our mood is good. But, we are far from complacent. We know that a lot of hard work lies ahead of us. The start was good, but there is no guarantee that this quality will last over a long period.
...Marcus Thuram’s form: My mantra is that real quality equates to top performances over a long period of time. Marcus Thuram is a player with the potential to do this. He got into top shape during pre-season, worked really hard and has absolutely earned his great start to the season with goals in the cup and against Hoffenheim. He is a difference maker and we are happy to have him with us. It also has the task of delivering again in two days’ time. There are always things you can do to get better. That being said, we are enjoying his current form.
...the contract extensions of Alassane Plea and Jonas Hofmann: Massive kudos to sporting director Roland Virkus for successfully extending Lasso and Jonas Hofmann’s contracts. Both players are at the peak of their careers. The fact that both have committed themselves to Borussia long term is a fantastic sign.
...potential new signings: We still have to strengthen the squad and the good start should not obscure that fact. Our options up front are not all too great. Our financial capabilities are, however, limited. If we are to do something, it has to be a good quality solution. We have to be patient and alert. Perhaps something will open up again towards the end of the transfer period.
