Pre-Match Report
Kovac: "My team is significantly more experienced"
Boris Rupert reporting from Lille
After the game is before the game, as Sepp Herberger famously used to say. But it was initially the other way round on Tuesday. The impact of the Augsburg game was still lingering. "I was very clear and direct," said Niko Kovac in reference to the team meeting that took place on Sunday. "And I think that was necessary after the match against Augsburg. Because four days later, in other words tomorrow, we have an important game in the Champions League. And it's important we sharpen our senses and put our focus on the sport."
Serhou Guirassy was on the podium as a representative for the team. A team that intends to give an entirely different account of itself against OSC Lille on Wednesday (kick-off at 18:45 CET). "It was a clear conversation between the coach and the players," the striker said, adding: "I think it was good for me and did all the players good."
Now the focus is on what lies ahead. "It was not an individual failure but rather a collective one," said Kovac, who continued: "We cannot completely throw in the towel now. We want to get through to the next round. That is what every player is striving for. Many of them already experienced getting to the final last year. And I'm sure that everyone will enjoy performing well here tomorrow in this full and beautiful stadium. That will then release the necessary reserves to bring games like this to a successful conclusion."
To that end, the coach is counting on an interesting factor: "It will be a very even, close game. But my team is significantly more experienced. And I hope that that will be the deciding factor in us leaving the pitch with a win, regardless of whether it's after 90 or 120 minutes."
Serhou Guirassy, Borussia's top goalscorer in a Champions League season, will be particularly important. Although he plays the full 90 minutes in almost every game and this is a special time of year for him, he feels ready: "Our coach knows what he's doing, he has enough experience, he knows who to substitute and when. I'm doing Ramadan, but it's absolutely no problem for me. If anything, it gives me even more strength."
The excitement for the round of 16 return leg was not only clear to see from Serhou Guirassy, but also from Niko Kovac. "Once you've played the group stages, every game is a final. We've already experienced that against Sporting, and it will be the same tomorrow. These are the nice games, they're what makes it so interesting. We know what our chances are. I'm optimistic, but we certainly have to improve very clearly."