Deutsche Welle (English edition)
Champions League: Man City 'too big for us' admits Mönchengladbach's Marco Rose
Borussia Mönchengladbach are out of the Champions League after a comprehensive defeat by Manchester City. The German side are one defeat away from equaling a club record — and their next game is against Schalke.
Manchester City 2-0 Borussia Mönchengladbach, Puskas Arena
(De Bruyne 12', Gündogan 18') (City win 4-0 on aggregate)
Borussia Mönchengladbach weren't expected to beat Manchester City, Europe's in-form team and Champions League favorites, but that doesn't alter the reality that they're one more defeat away from eight straight in all competitions, which would equal a club record.
Gladbach's coach Wolf Werner didn't last very long after that unwanted milestone was reached in the 1989-90 season, and Marco Rose's position is also under serious scrutiny, despite sporting director Max Eberl repeatedly offering Rose a vote
of confidence.
The man chosen by Borussia Dortmund to be their next coach, has a record of seven defeats and one draw since that announcement was made. Their next game is on Saturday against Schalke, a team doomed for relegation with just one win all season – that's surely the acid test for whether Rose can dig himself out of the deep hole he's found himself in.
"I think that our situation is not nice, but there are much,
much worse things on this planet," Rose said before the game, which like the first leg had to be played in Budapest due to the coronavirus pandemic. "I have a great environment and enjoy great trust at the club."
That trust is surely wearing thin after a seventh straight defeat that has left Rose a lame duck leader of a team whose confidence is hitting new lows week after week. City ‘ate us up'
Manchester City were simply too good for Gladbach all over the pitch. Pep Guardiola didn't even field a striker from the start, with Bernardo Silva operating as a false nine flanked by Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez – but City didn't need one.
Their opener came from captain Kevin de Bruyne, who rifled a fine shot in off the bar with his left foot, with Germany midfielder Ilkay Gündogan adding another soon after, capping a powerful burst and assist by Foden. Rose was under no illusions that his team had been outclassed over the two games.
"The opponent was simply very strong today, and we have to acknowledge that," Rose admitted to Sky. "Manchester City were too big for us today, and at some point you lose your conviction. All in all, we would have expected more. The boys wanted it, you could see that. But when you feel the quality on your own body, it can be tough."
Gladbach's captain Lars Stindl, who looked exhausted as he endured another tough even
ing, echoed Rose's assessment of the defeat – adding that they couldn't live with the intensity of City's pressing.
"We played against the best team in the world at the moment," he said. "We set out to do a lot, but after the first goal it was difficult. They really ate us up in the pressing."
Rose's attention now refocuses on the Bundesliga, with Gladbach having slipped to 10th place and the top four well beyond them. If there's any team Rose would wish to face right now, it's Schalke. Simultaneously, defeat in Gelsenkirchen doesn't bear thinking about for Rose.
Turbine Potsdam bounce back
Women's Bundesliga side Turbine Potsdam managed to bounce back after four winless games in a row in a crazy game against SC Sand this past weekend. The Brandenburg club won 5-2 in the end – and they scored all seven goals! Five at the right end and two own goals turned it into a real roller coaster ride.
One player that stood out yet again was forward Selina Cerci. The 20-year-old scored twice — both times in Sand's goal — and is currently Potsdam's top scorer with six goals in 15 games. An impressive number considering the German is only playing in her second Bundesliga season. She joined Potsdam from Werder Bremen in the summer break and had also played for Holstein Kiel, Magderburger FFC and Bayern Munich's second team in the
past. She played in the Bundesliga with Bremen in 2018/2019 and grabbed five goals in 13 games, but wasn't able to avoid relegation that time.
Scoring 13 goals in 14 games in the 2. Bundesliga the season after helped her attract attention from several top clubs in the league. She is known as one of the brightest upcoming talents in Germany and will only improve by playing for a team like Potsdam. She is already very aware of her role on the field, brings a lot of pace and can anticipate situations well – and she's clinical in front of goal when given the chance. If she keeps improving, she's definitely a player German national team
Coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg has to take a look at. Germany has a great talent pool already, but it's positive knowing that there are a lot of different options and talents playing in the home league.
Bayern roll on
In the quarterfinals of the Champions League, Wolfsburg will take on their former teammate and star player Pernille Harder, whose current club Chelsea just won the Continental League Cup on Sunday in a dominant 6-0 victory over Bristol City. Meanwhile, Bayern drew Swedish side FC Rosengard, with the Munich side handed the more manageable task.
Wolfsburg have faced Chelsea three times already in knockout duels and won each time, but times have changed and the English club have invested a lot in their team. The London club has a whole different mentality while Wolfsburg are still struggling to find their best form. Wolfsburg will need to be at their best to neutralize Chelsea's immense attacking options with players like Bethany England, Sam Kerr, Fran Kirby and Pernille Harder. On the other hand, it will be a challenge for the London side to get Wolfsburg‘s pace under control.
It‘s going to be a tough two games for both German teams nonetheless and if they make it through, they will face each other in the semifinals. Bayern are enjoying an outstanding season and remain on top of the Bundesliga table after 16 games and still haven't lost a game. Having scored a total of 62 goals and only conceding three underlines the danger they bring but also how well organized they are in the back. Five points clear of Wolfsburg in second place, Bayern are clearly the favorites for the title.
They are on their way to become one of the top teams in Europe and will use the Cham
pions League to let everybody on the biggest stage know that they need to be taken seriously. Twotime Champions League winners VfL Wolfsburg have already earned their respect in Europe, but it's obvious that another German team will follow now.
Wolfsburg play for diversity
For the fourth year in a row, Wolfsburg and Volkswagen have joined forces with the Autostadt, a visitor attraction adjacent to the VW factory in Wolfsburg, to send out a colourful statement in support of diversity, underlining their social responsibility and status as role models.
In addition to that, both the Volkswagen Arena, the AOK Stadion and the Autostadt were decked out in colourful flags and, at times, even colourfully illuminated. Wolfsburg‘s home games fell
during the International Week Against Racism and both the women's and men's team wore rainbow themed jerseys during their games against Leverkusen and Schalke. Using the slogan "For Diversity. Against Discrimination", Wolfsburg regularly makes colourful statements in favour of an open society.
Unfortunately, nowadays the fight against racism, homophobia, sexism, and all sorts of discrimination still occurs. Football stars around the globe are role models for the young and old – but not all of the responsibility should rely on stars to get the message across. Everybody can take part. Don't look away when you witness discrimination and instead speak out, stand up, and report. If you're being discriminated against yourself, don't hesitate to reach out for help. This is a fight we can only win together.