Let me pick up on where I left off in the first leg's Pre-Match thread ... in fact let me keep the same format and update the same sections ... will obviously leave out The Opposing Manager section altogether as no point re-introducing Marco Rose ...
The League Positions
They were 8th in the Bundesliga when we played them three weeks ago, out of the European places and more towards mid-table. They were struggling this season to reach the heights they had reached last year ... and what certainly didn't help them was the announcement of their manager leaving for Borussia Dortmund at the end of this season ...
Well, nothing has changed ... they have since then played four more games ... and that's four more losses. They are now sitting 10th in the Bundesliga, closer to the bottom of their table than the top ... and spiralling fast in that downward direction. And as you'd expect with those four straight losses in the league since the loss to us in the first leg, they are now also the worst team in the Bundesliga form table.
As for us, we remain firmly on top of our league ... despite our long winning run coming to an end. Having just played Fulham, which was our last league game for a while ... our focus will now firmly shift to the cups ... with this Champions League tie next to be followed by the FA Cup Quarter Final against Everton on the weekend.
Previous & Next
Borussia Mönchengladbach played their league game against Augsburg yesterday (Friday) night which they lost 3-1 away from home. So just like last leg, they will have an extra day to rest and recover over us ... although that didn't help them last time around so I doubt it would mean much this time either.
After this Champions League tie, they have another away trip to Schalke on next Saturday, which should be their easiest game for a while as their next opponents are as good as relegated and currently occupy the bottom spot in Bundesliga. It will be a miracle if someone else replaced them (Schalke) there, although Borussia Mönchengladbach themselves seem to be trying very hard to get right down there.
As for us ... we have just played Fulham, a day later than them, and also have a very important game on next Saturday (the FA Cup Quarter Final against Everton - Away) but I doubt Pep would let any thoughts of that come into play till AFTER this tie is played (and won).
This is who the two teams have just played before and what comes next:
Borussia Mönchengladbach
Fri 12 - 7:30pm - Augsburg (A) - Bundesliga
Tue 16 - 8:00pm - City (H) - CL
Sat 20 - 5:30pm - Schalke (A) - Bundesliga
Manchester City
Sat 13 - 8:00pm - Fulham (A) - PL
Tue 16 - 8:00pm - Mönchengladbach (H) - CL
Sat 20 - 5:30pm - Everton (A) - FA Cup QF
Actually, as a City fan there would be something else to look forward to after this tie and before that FA Cup Quarter Final ... should we finish the job here. We'd be in the hat for the Champions League Triple Draw that'll see us chart a path all the way to the Final. Those draws are scheduled on Friday 19th March at 11am UK time - and here's the thread to follow that.
Pre-Match Thoughts
Their form is dire and as we know their manager got picked off by Borussia Dortmund for being too good ... but apparently isn't good enough to be able to put that aside and motivate his current team to keep going.
Their form is telling; they can't seem to buy a win at present ... or even a draw. This is their form since that announcement of his impending end-of-season departure ...
Last eight games in all competitions:
L D L L L L L L
(That underlined L in that sequence is the reverse fixture against us - four more losses added since)
Well, I really don't know what else to write ... so let me re-list the positives for us going into this tie ... they're shite, we're not ... they're well out of form, while we're on top of our game (despite the little glitch) ... we're already 2-0 up from the first leg, where even a single goal lead is decent at this stage of the competition let alone having two 'away' goals in the bag ... yes, last minute this 'home leg' has been moved back to where the first leg took place ... but Pep rightly pointed out in the pre-Fulham presser that our pitch is so crap at present and also referred to that very pitch in Budapest being like "a red-carpet rolled out for us" ... so I would even throw that change of venue as a positive for us right now.
Oh, and the game is on my birthday, the sixteenth day of March ... and I don't remember City disappointing me on or around my birthday in recent years ... so bring it on and let's finish the job!
Match Prediction
Same venue ... same result!
Manchester City 2 - 0 Borussia Mönchengladbach
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