There is a lot at stake in the home match against Union Berlin. Borussia and their coach Adi Hütter (51) must find a way out of the crisis. The VfL coach said on Friday that he feels the confidence of those in charge and that he has solutions at the ready.
Adi Hütter certainly does not lack experience. The Austrian has now been in the coaching job for over a decade, he has experienced some complicated moments at his previous stations, but the current phase at Borussia Mönchengladbach represents yet another new challenge even for him. “This is just the most difficult situation in my 13 years in the job,” Hütter told the press conference.
The disgraceful 0:3 in the DFB Cup at Hannover 96 after a desolate performance by the team has once again exacerbated the situation at Borussia-Park. A lot of criticism is pouring down on everyone involved right now. At the centre of it all is the coach.
Hütter dealt with the issue in an absolutely confident manner on Friday. For him, it is “a completely normal process that in such a situation the coach is also questioned,” the 51-year-old explained. “The fact that there is criticism, also regarding myself, is nothing new and also a completely normal process,” Hütter continued, stressing: “I feel a lot of trust within the club, from the people acting, from those responsible. That counts for me. That is also very good for me. But we all know that we have to get out of this situation as quickly as possible. “
What the solutions to the many sporting problems should look like was also discussed by the coach, who felt “nowhere near helpless”. He does not want to “turn the team into a fighting force”, but he does want the basics of football to emerge more clearly again. “Taking on this fight, that is the most important thing,” Hütter demanded. “We also have to fight our way out of this situation and not just solve it by playing. “
A slightly deeper basic alignment
On the pitch, one approach could be for the team to stop attacking so far forward. A slightly deeper basic alignment to achieve more stability again obviously plays a role in Hüter’s considerations to make the defence less vulnerable. But the offensive play has also been lacking for some time. Many hopes are pinned on Jonas Hofmann, whose return after knee surgery is on the horizon. The international brings strength and finesse to the game, is an ideal link between midfield and attack. And Hofmann is also a goal threat himself, with seven goals still Borussia’s top scorer.
Gleam of hope Hofmann
“We are still deciding whether he will play from the start or come into the game later,” said Hütter. He added that it had to be taken into account that Hofmann was out for a long time, “but he is a glimmer of hope. “
Beyer and Kramer are still out
Jordan Beyer is out with a muscle injury. And Christoph Kramer is also not yet available for the Union game after falling ill. Denis Zakaria, already substituted in Hannover after the injury break, offers himself as a starting eleven option.
Tricky subject Zakaria
The Swiss (contract expires) could still leave Gladbach in the winter. A difficult topic for the Borussians. On the one hand, the club needs income. On the other hand, a departure of Zakaria would be a big loss in the difficult sporting situation. “If an offer comes in that needs to be thought about, we will also sit down together. From a purely sporting point of view, it would not be good if we lost Denis Zakaria,” said Hütter.