Gladbach dreams of a cup coup
Wolfsburg coach Kovac after exit: “Football is cruel”
December 6, 2023, 7:53 a.m
After the round of 16 victory in the DFB Cup, the dream of the final in Berlin is alive in Gladbach. Because many big clubs have failed, the Foals believe in their chance. VfL Wolfsburg carelessly threw these away. After the last-minute defeat, coach Niko Kovač speaks the truth of the losers.
Niko Kovač struggled with the missed opportunities after VfL Wolfsburg’s bitter cup exit. “Football is a beautiful sport and at the same time a cruel sport. We experienced both today – we are sad, and rightly so,” said the Wolves coach after the last-minute knockout. in the round of 16 of the DFB Cup at Borussia Mönchengladbach.
After 120 tough minutes, Joker Manu Kone’s 0-1 victory sealed the Wolves’ seventh away defeat in a row. Kovač was still satisfied. “We dominated the second half and extra time and could have decided the game in the 90th minute like Gladbach did in the 120th minute,” said the 52-year-old: “But it is what it is.”
Striker Jonas Wind had two great chances in the 90th minute and in stoppage time, but was first denied by Gladbach goalkeeper Moritz Nicolas and then shot just wide of the goal. “You can and must be satisfied with the performance, but not with the result. At the moment you have to do more to get little, because with little you don’t get much anyway,” said Kovač: “The team fought brilliantly and is unhappy eliminated.”
The Lower Rhine is dreaming of its first title since 1995
At Borussia Mönchengladbach, belief in a cup coup this season is growing. “The path is getting shorter and shorter, the probability is high,” said sports director Roland Virkus after the game and given the elimination of Bayern Munich and defending champions RB Leipzig in the previous round: “Then we certainly have a chance, no question about it.”
In the end, the lucky win in extra time was, first and foremost, a victory. “It wasn’t a treat, but that doesn’t matter. What counts is getting through and we managed that,” said Virkus, who is now hoping for a lower-class opponent in the next round. His team previously had to play against Bundesliga clubs Heidenheim and now Wolfsburg. “Now it’s our turn,” said Virkus.
In addition to the favorites Munich and Leipzig, an unusually large number of first division teams have already failed this year, so captain Julian Weigl is also expecting his Borussia to possibly make it to a cup final for the first time in 28 years: “The cup is incredibly exciting this year. It “There are already some big teams out. So this is definitely a push for us.” The round of the last eight will be drawn next Sunday. Gladbach’s last cup victory to date was in 1995. At that time, the then second division team VfL Wolfsburg were the opponents in the final.