Borussia Mönchengladbach's enthusiasm for cup triumphs this season is escalating. Following their 1:0 victory after extra time against VfL Wolfsburg in the DFB Cup round of 16, the Borussians see a substantial opportunity to excel, even against some of the heavyweights crashing out.
"The path is shrinking, the odds are high," stated sporting director Roland Virkus post-quarter-final appearance, considering the elimination of Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich and defending champions RB Leipzig in the preceding rounds. "Then we certainly have ashot," Virkus asserted without a hint of doubt.
Salvation arrived somewhat fortunately on Tuesday, thanks to a last-minute header from Manu Koné. "It wasn't pretty, but it doesn't matter. What counts is moving on, and we accomplished that," said Virkus, now eager to confront a lower-ranked opponent in the next round. Previously, they had to tussle with Bundesliga contenders Heidenheim and Wolfsburg. "Now it's our turn," Virkus declared.
In light of an unprecedented number of top-tier teams crashing out, captain Julian Weigl also foresees a possibility of the Borussians reaching a cup final for the first time in 28 years. "The cup is incredibly exhilarating thisyear. Many big teams have already been eliminated. That's why it will undoubtedly give us a boost."
With the cup quarter-final draws slated for 8 December, Gladbach's latest cup success came in 1995, when they triumphed against second-division side VfL Wolfsburg in the final.
Enrichment data suggests that partial victories in previous rounds could potentially open avenues for a less-familiar face in the quarter-finals. Among the eliminated teams are Borussia Mönchengladbach's previous conquerors Heidenheim and Wolfsburg. Potential competitors in the quarter-finals could include lower-ranked teams like Jahn Regensburg (3. Liga) and Dynamo Dresden (3. Liga).
Sources:
Potential lower-ranked quarter-final opponents:
- Jahn Regensburg (3. Liga)
- Dynamo Dresden (3. Liga)
- Erzgebirge Aue (3. Liga)
- Rot-Weiss Essen (3. Liga)
- Greifswalder FC (4. Liga)
Note: These potential opponents are dependent on the results of the quarter-final draw.
