Emmanuel Thomas, DPA, Thursday, May 11, 2023
DORTMUND – Borussia Dortmund aim to make another statement in the Bundesliga title race with an 11th straight home victory on Saturday against Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Dortmund are one point behind 10-time reigning champions Bayern Munich and don’t have their fate in their own hands if they want to lift the trophy for the first time since 2012.
Like last weekend, Bayern play first, three hours earlier than Dortmund against lowly Schalke. But coach Edin Terzic is undeterred, given that his team thrashed Wolfsburg 6-0 last time out, the day after Bayern’s 2-1 win at Werder Bremen.
“A lot is at stake for us. We are happy it isn’t over yet and that it stays exciting. We have done our share in this,” Terzic told reporters on Thursday.
Terzic said that “in order to have a chance we must win our remaining three games” against Gladbach, in Augsburg and against Mainz. They must then hope that Bayern drop points in their final games at home against Schalke and Leipzig and in Cologne.
Dortmund lost the reverse fixture in Gladbach right before the World Cup and winter break but have beaten them at home the last eight times with a goal difference of 27-3.
Terzic named Gladbach “a strong team” but also said that “travelling to Dortmund is not the most pleasant task in the Bundesliga” at the moment, given their long winning run this season and against Gladbach.
Terzic has all players on board apart from Jamie Bynoe-Gittens who is out long-term after shoulder surgery, and said that a full squad with big competition for playing time is nothing negative.
“We had 26 outfield players on the pitch in training. That is a situation that can lead to frustration. But there is a common goal and everyone in the squad works towards it. The road is not over yet,” Terzic said.
