Alonso ahead of #BMGB04: ‘We want to win away’

"We have to produce our best performance on the pitch tomorrow. We've only played one game so far. We did win it but there are things that we could certainly improve on," explained Xabi Alonso at the pre-match press conference on Friday 25 August.

“Last weekend's successful opener against Leipzig (3-2, ed.) was definitely important," stressed the Spaniard but now the focus is on looking forwards to the first game on the road. Alonso: "We've taken the first step and now, of course, we want to win away too. The match against Mönchengladbach will be difficult for us." The 41-year-old coach knows about the "rivalry between the two clubs" and is therefore expecting an "emotional" match.

For the encounter with the Foals, Alonso will again have to manage without the injured Patrick Schick as well as the suspended Piero Hincapie and Amine Adli.

reunions for both sides

The clash on Saturday night will bring reunions for Bayer 04 and Borussia. The Werkself led by skipper Lukas Hradecky are up against the current BMG head coach and Alonso predecessor Gerardo Seoane for the first time since he took over the Foals at the beginning of June.

Alonso only had words of praise for the Swiss manager: "Gerardo is a good coach. Everybody at Bayer 04 only says positive things about him. Unfortunately there wasn't any contact back then. Therefore I'm very much looking forward to meeting him on Saturday and catching up with that moment."

The two new signings Jonas Hofmann and Granit Xhaka will also meet up with familiar faces on Saturday. Xhaka played for the Foals from 2012 to 2016, Hofmann was still at Gladbach last season. "It will definitely be a special and emotional game for him," said Alonso.

over 3,000 werkself Fans in Mönchengladbach

Alonso will once again be able to count on outstanding support from the stands in Saturday's match against the Foals: Over 3,000 Bayer 04 fans are set to be at BORUSSIA PARK for the first Werkself away game in the new season.