Borussia Monchengladbach Vs VfL Bochum – Bundesliga Relegation/promotion play-off
Borussia-Park Monchengladbach will see Bundesliga side, Borussia Monchengladbach, face Bundesliga 2 side, VfL Bochum, in the first-leg of the Bundesliga relegation/promotion play-off on May 19, 2011.
The winner of the two-legged play-off will have a chance to be promoted (VfL Bochum) or extend its stay in the Bundesliga for one more season (Borussia Monchengladbach).
Ahead of the game, Gladbach coach Lucien Favre has said that both sides have a 50-50 chance of accomplishing their respective missions. Despite the club’s recent run of form, the Swiss tactician knows that the form book will have nothing to do with what’s
going to happen in the two legs. After collecting 10 points from the last ten games, the club staved off automatic relegation from the Bundesliga. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Marco-Reus-c23733, who has been a revelation this season, was very upbeat about his side’s chances of winning the two
legs.
While talking to the media, the youngster indicated that Gladbach were the better side and can go through to the two-legged play-offs. "Bochum aren't a bad side, but we have the better individual players and we're in good form. We want to win both games,"
Reus said.
Still, Gladbach players would do well to heed their coach’s warnings, who has already said that both sides have equal chances of playing in the Bundesliga next season. The Foals will have to start dictating the game on Thursday, something that Gladbach haven’t
managed to do all season.
VfL Bochum will undoubtedly prove to be an unpleasant opposition. After a poor start to the Bundesliga 2 campaign, the Ruhr club eventually transformed into a well-drilled side. The excellent playmaking role done by http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Giovanni-c14985 Federico’s role
as a super-sub made Bochum one of the best sides in Bundesliga 2 this season. VfL boss Friedhelm Funkel, while talking to the media said, "Gladbach will need to avoid making too many errors, because we have the players to punish them."
The Bundesliga hopefuls are currently unbeaten in 15 games this season and have collected 37 points in those games. However, both sides know that statistics won’t influence the outcome of the game. Funkel was in charge of the Hertha http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Berlin-c7536 side that was
relegated last season and the German now wants to steer VfL Bochum back to Bundesliga football. However, the German admits that his side would start the game as underdogs but is hopeful that Bochum can cause an upset. While talking to the journalists, Funkel
said that he is expecting the encounter to be an open one. "Gladbach have a good team, no question. But we have a good team too and outsiders have in the past proved that they can beat favourites,'' Funkel said.
In the 2009/10 season, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Michael-c25261 Oenning’s Nuremberg beat Energie Cottbus 5-0 to win promotion to the Bundesliga. That was the last time a lower league side defied all odds to win promotion; Bochum might take some inspiration from that play-off in order to
return to Bundesliga football next season.
Predicted Final Score: Borussia Monchengladbach 2-0 http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/VfL-Bochum-c40880
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