After the failed Championship League Qualifications Gladbach hopes for success in the European League

Borussia Mönchengladbach will return on Thursday, after sixteen years of absence, on the European football stage. Meanwhile, the disappointment from the missed Championship League qualifications, it has given way to the anticipation about the Euro League. At least in the next group the opponents leave nothing to be desired in terms of quality.

In the preliminary round, they will have to deal with such names as Marseille and Fenerbahce.

But first, on Thursday, it will go all the way to Cyprus, to the big nobody in the group, the AEL Limassol. The club won the championship last year and has firmly decided to dodge for the Euro League games in the major GSP Stadium of Apoel Nicosia. There are expected almost 22,000 spectators, cheering for their team and urging them forward, and so the Glad Bachern should prepare themselves for a hot reception.

Limassol is a completely blank slate at international level. The Cypriots have virtually no main star players, but the coach Pambos Christodoulou has learned how to use the motley troupe of local and foreign players, so as to form a powerful collective team. The team has some very physically fit and strong professionals, and maintains an appropriate play of good tonus. With their gruff manner, Limassol pushed forward into the final qualifying round of the Championship League and was only just defeated the RSC Anderlecht.

The Cypriots are not an easy opponent, especially the defensive bulwark should present itself as the major problem for their opponents. Limassol’s goal keeper has missed only eight goals in the last season (26 games). Especially with such defensive opponents, the Gladbach has difficulties which can also be tricky.

Just this weekend they failed and lost because of the Nuremberg’s compact defense, and botched the dress rehearsal for the European League.

Nevertheless, Gladbach will travel to Cyprus as the favorite, as finally alone Nigel de Jong was more expensive than the whole squad of Limassol taken together. A victory is, in view of the serious games against Marseille and Istanbul, also compulsory – otherwise the European League adventure will be taking a premature end.