Daniel Farke took questions from the media ahead of Saturday’s clash with RB Leipzig at BORUSSIA-PARK (18:30 CEST). We’ve rounded up all the key statements.
Daniel Farke on…
…team news: Tobias Sippel has suffered a separated shoulder and will be out for three to four weeks. Things are looking good for Nico Elvedi and Tony Jantschke, even if Tony isn’t completely pain-free. He is a tough, old boy and I think that he will be available for selection at the weekend. I also assume that Nico will be an option. At the very least, his body hasn’t shown any signs of stress to the workload. Alassane Plea’s rehabilitation training is going well and if there are no setbacks, we are hopeful that he will be available for the first Bundesliga game after the international break.
…the absence of Ko Itakura and Florian Neuhaus: Both injuries were major setbacks that we had to deal with at the start of the week. It’s obviously not made our life any easier that we have lost such important players. But I have faith in the whole squad. It’s now time for other players to step up.
…comparing Borussia with RB Leipzig: We’re not a team competing at the very top level like RB Leipzig. Still, we want to go toe-to-toe with our opponents on Saturday. When your fans are behind you, anything is possible in 90 minutes, especially as we’re in good shape. We will go into the match with the necessary respect. We’re looking forward to the challenge and we want to pick up points.
…the game plan against Leipzig: We will need a sophisticated team performance, and it’s our ambition to deliver that. We can’t afford to give the ball away too easily, because Leipzig are incredibly dangerous and fast on the counter. We will have to have a good answer to how they attack in deep areas, but we have to be dominant ourselves and dictate the tempo of the game, just like we did in the first half against Freiburg. Our finishing needs to be more clinical too as you don’t get that many clear-cut chances against the top teams.
…potential changes to the playing system: We might adjust our formation, although we have already had different setups off the ball already this season. The more we gel as a group, the more versatile we want to be without neglecting our core elements. The system isn’t set in stone; we can play in different formations. It’s more important that our identity is clear to see and people can recognise that they’re watching Borussia Mönchengladbach.
…the upcoming opponents: Preparations are always a little trickier when there’s been a change in coach. However, we know the kind of football RB Leipzig and Marco Rose like to play. We can’t really know what to expect in terms of the formation and line-up though. In any case, we’ll be up against one of the Bundesliga’s top teams, who have incredible quality. Leipzig have one of the best squads in the league together with Dortmund and Bayern. I’m sure they will finish in the top four this season.
…Marco Rose’s return to Gladbach: I haven’t met Marco Rose yet, but I rate him as a coach. You only have to look at the clubs he has coached – it speaks for itself. It’s only normal for his return to stir some emotions, but you will always cross paths with your past in professional football, so it’s a non-issue for the players; they’re focused on the task at hand and want to get a good result with a strong performance.
…the support of the Borussia fans: We play football for the fans – sometimes that gets forgotten in among all the commercialism. Football only works with fans, which is why I have no intention on telling them how to feel or think. I think our supporters have a good grasp of what it is we’re trying to do. I trust that they will push us more on the weekend than they will express their dissatisfaction about other clubs. I hope there will be a positive atmosphere as that will help us be successful against Leipzig.
…the current situation for Stefan Lainer: Stevie is an experienced Bundesliga and international footballer. I have often talked about my admiration for him. I hold his professionalism, his reliability and his mentality in high regard. He’s had a tough season so far; he joined preseason late on and was ill as well, which is why Joe Scally got the nod at right-back and he’s done his job well. Stevie was sidelined again for another twelve days recently and that disrupted his rhythm once again. Nevertheless, we’re delighted to have him on board and I am sure that he will play plenty of games for us yet.
...Marcus Thuram’s current form: We’re very happy with Tikus. He has built up a good level of fitness, is in a good place mentally and is extremely focused. He has put in strong performances so far and has created a lot of dangerous moments. His personal record is good too. It’s part and parcel of being a striker that you’re going to miss some chances as well. Tikus hasn’t played in that position for his entire life though – he’s still trying to find some consistency and rhythm in his game as a number 9. He works hard for the team and is a good finisher, something he has demonstrated already. He will no doubt score plenty more goals for us. If he scored a hat-trick in every game, he probably wouldn’t be here anymore, but rather at a big-money club.
…Marvin Friedrich’s role: Marvin took on a leadership role in the defence in much of preseason, but then he missed the final part of it unfortunately. Nevertheless, he is part of those 16 or 17 players that I would call my core. I can count on him unequivocally. Marvin is a reliable, tactically astute player that can also build up from the back solidly. Apart from his experience, he also adds quality in the air with his physique. It’s no coincidence that we kept a clean sheet in Freiburg with him in the team. We’re pleased to have him fit and an option for the starting line-up.
