The FC Bayern already eliminated, Borussia Dortmund as well since yesterday, several second division teams still in the competition – Borussia Mönchengladbach was therefore considered a potential co-favourite for the DFB Cup title. But after a weak performance, the Foals’ team failed to win 3-0 against Hannover 96 on Wednesday.
“It is difficult. I don’t understand it when you have a big chance to do something big. We spoke about it beforehand, also at half-time. I just don’t understand it. We don’t get any energy and intensity on the pitch, we don’t even get close to the opponent, we only run in a few times, we don’t even get into the duels, we run behind, we make the wrong personal decisions when it comes to goals. That can happen, and it’s not a problem. But that’s been the case throughout this year and it’s not just isolated incidents, it’s been the case every week. Then, of course, it’s brutally difficult to get structure into it, regardless of the opponent,” Lars Stindl was quite harsh on his team on Sky after the game.
The VfL captain was particularly annoyed that the team had actually travelled to Lower Saxony with a hunger for success, without thinking about the difficult situation in the Bundesliga with twelfth place only a short distance from the relegation places. “We blanked out the situation, looked at yesterday’s games and travelled here with euphoria,” the 33-year-old stated.
There was no sign of anything like euphoria on the pitch for Gladbach in Hannover. Rather, Borussia lacked the bite and verve in both defence and offence that second-division side Hannover displayed in abundance – and so deservedly progressed. But Stindl refused to accept that the Foals were not a cohesive team: “Of course we are a team, but after a game like that I have no arguments. It’s true that we talk about it, even during the winter break. And there’s no one who’s going into the game today in this situation and doesn’t want to go to Berlin. But you don’t just have to talk about it, you also have to put it into practice. And that’s where the problem lies. “