After the Foals’ 2-1 defeat to 1. FC Saarbrücken in the quarter-finals of the DFB-Pokal, we have the reactions of Julian Weigl, Borussia’s managing director for sport Roland Virkus and the two head coaches.
Julian Weigl: It’s difficult for me to find the words. Borussia Mönchengladbach have to get through against a third-tier side in the quarter-finals. We should have scored two or three goals by half time. We conceded from Saarbrücken’s only half chance. In the second half, the pitch got more and more difficult to play on, but we can’t use that as an excuse. We were then caught on the counter in injury time, which we should never have let happen. Of course we were dominant, but we didn’t actually create any real goalscoring chances. We’re devastated, but we’ve only got ourselves to blame. Of course we can understand how the fans feel. They’ve given us unbelievable support all season, even though we haven’t set the world alight. We know how important the Pokal is to them. Their dream has been shattered, and ours has too.
Roland Virkus: We started well in the first half and had good chances. We needed to have scored another goal in that period. In the second half, we didn’t have any more dangerous attacks. We’re all disappointed about that. I can empathise with every fan who came to Saarbrücken and is now incredibly disappointed. We are too.
Head coach Gerardo Seoane: The disappointment is huge, as it always is when you get knocked out of the cup. The closer you get to the final, the bigger the disappointment when you go out. We’ve only got ourselves to blame, because, particularly in the early stages, we weren’t good enough defensively and weren’t clinical and calm enough in attack. We were definitely missing the necessary composure in our finishing. In the second half, we couldn’t break through a deep defensive line, whether through one-vs.-one situations, crosses or set pieces. Of course the fans are disappointed, and we are too.
Head coach Rüdiger Ziehl (1. FC Saarbrücken): Our plan for the second period was to defend our own half and keep a clean sheet. We managed that. We couldn’t get out apart from one or two moments, and we weren’t posing a danger at all. Therefore, the plan was actually to get through to extra time, keep a clean sheet in that and then get to penalties. But we took the one chance we had injury time. That shows the desire of the team. Even though we were out on our feet, we gave everything until the end.
