As of: February 11, 2024, 5:03 a.m
By: Luca Hartmann
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The DFB Cup quarter-final between 1. FC Saarbrücken and Borussia Mönchengladbach was canceled a few minutes before the start.
All developments in the ticker for reading.
1. FC Saarbrücken – Borussia Mönchengladbach – canceled
Cup quarter-final between Saarbrücken and Gladbach canceled – risk of injury too great
All developments regarding the game cancellation can be read in the ticker
Update from February 10th, 7:42 a.m.:
The quarter-finals in the DFB Cup between third division team 1. FC Saarbrücken and Borussia Mönchengladbach will be rescheduled for March 12th (8:30 p.m./ZDF and Sky).
This was announced by the German Football Association.
The game was canceled on Wednesday after heavy rain made the pitch soft.
There is no functioning drainage in the Ludwigspark in Saarbrücken.
The semi-final draw will still take place as planned on Saturday at 11 p.m. in the ZDF sports studio.
In the pot are Bayer Leverkusen, Fortuna Düsseldorf, 1. FC Kaiserslautern and a double draw (Saarbrücken/Mönchengladbach).
Update from February 7th, 9:07 p.m
.: The DFB now has to look for a catch-up date for the game.
One thing is certain: the semi-finals will take place on April 2nd and 3rd, and the winner must be decided by then.
The draw next Saturday should still take place as planned, probably with the help of a wildcard.
In the catch-up game, the teams will know who they would face in a possible semi-final.
Update from February 7th, 8:50 p.m.:
Shortly after the cancellation, referee Florian Badstübner also spoke to Sky and explained his decision: “It was a really difficult decision, we are traveling too.
But you can't play on the pitch.
What is important is the issue of risk of injury.
Saarbrücken tried to get the place clean of the water.
We wanted to give them as much time as possible.
Ultimately, there are a few spots where play is possible, but large parts are not.
The most important thing is that no one gets hurt.”
Update from February 7th, 8:44 p.m.:
Shortly after the cancellation was announced, both teams went back to the respective fan corner to say goodbye to the fans.
It is currently still completely unclear when the game will be rescheduled.
However, Gladbach managing director Roland Virkus believes the cancellation is unavoidable.
“We would have liked to play, but if you look at the pitch, it was absolutely the right decision not to whistle.
The health of the players comes first.”
Cup quarter-final between Saarbrücken and Gladbach canceled – risk of injury too great
Update from February 7th, 8:40 p.m.: The game is canceled! The DFB apparently considers the risk of injury to the players to be too high. The stadium announcer has just announced the decision - much to the displeasure of the fans.
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The pitch in Saarbrücken's Ludwigsparkstadion is soaked in rainwater.
© Jan Huebner / Imago Images
“He no longer saw the safety of the players,” said Saarbrücken’s press spokesman about the referee on the Sky microphone and added: “We would have liked to play, but Gladbach were against it pretty early on.
The crucial thing was that it should rain for another two hours.”
Update from February 7th, 8:29 p.m.:
Even around 15 minutes before kick-off, there is still no final decision as to whether the game will take place.
Apparently referee Florian wants it
Badstübner wait until the last moment to make a decision.
After warming up, the teams disappeared back into the changing rooms.
Update from February 7th, 8:15 p.m
.: The cup quarter-finals are scheduled to kick off in half an hour.
However, it is still not clear whether the game can actually start.
“The question is whether it is not too dangerous for the players,” said Gladbach coach Gerardo Seoane before the game on Sky, citing stopping at high speed as an example.
However, he did not reveal any tendency as to how he would decide.
“Fohlen” sports director Nils Schmadtke expressed himself more clearly on ZDF: “If I could decide, I wouldn’t whistle the game.
But the sovereignty lies with the DFB.”
Update from February 7th, 7:47 p.m.:
Even if it is still unclear whether the quarter-finals can take place, the teams have announced their lineups.
Compared to the 1:3 defeat against FC Bayern at the weekend, Gladbach coach Gerardo Seoane made two changes to his team.
Koné and Hack move into the starting line-up for Reitz and Ngoumou.
At Saarbrücken, Marcel Gaus surprisingly only sits on the bench.
Among other things, he scored the decisive goal in stoppage time in the second round against FC Bayern.
Heavy rain in Saarbrücken: Cup quarter-finals shake
Update from February 7th, 7:03 p.m.: According to
Bild
and
Kicker
, the cup quarter-finals between 1. FC Saarbrücken and Borussia Mönchengladbach are
apparently on the brink.
Because of the heavy rain, it is not certain whether the game can kick off.
Helpers are currently trying to get the water out of the area with leaf blowers.
After an initial inspection of the pitch, the initial plan was for the decision to be made when both teams were warming up.
The Gladbachers posted a short video from the Ludwigsparkstadion around 2 hours before kick-off, showing the enormous masses of water and the helpers on the pitch.
“We have to wait and see what happens,” Mönchengladbach’s sports director Nils Schmadtke told the German Press Agency and added with a laugh: “We definitely don’t have the rubber boots with us.”
As a reminder: Saarbrücken had to cancel its game against Dresden at the end of October last year because the pitch was unplayable.
And the cup game against FC Bayern was also on hold for a long time due to heavy rain.
The lawn in Saarbrücken's Ludwigsparkstadion around two hours before kick-off of the DFB Cup quarter-final against Gladbach.
© Screenshots Instagram.com @borussia
First report from February 7th, 4:55 p.m.:
Saarbrücken – third division team 1. FC Saarbrücken wants to continue its fantastic run in the DFB Cup on Wednesday evening (February 7th) against Bundesliga club Borussia Mönchengladbach.
The frightened favorites sensationally defeated record cup winners FC Bayern Munich in the second round and Eintracht Frankfurt in the round of 16.
In the fight for the semi-finals, the next first division team should now be eliminated in the Ludwigsparkstadion at home.
DFB Cup quarter-finals: Saarbrücken is hoping for the next sensation
As in the previous rounds, the underdog wants to “go to the limit again,” said coach Rüdiger Ziehl before the game.
The roles are clearly assigned, the “foals” are the favorites.
“If they have a good day, then it will be very, very difficult,” admitted Ziehl: “It is once again up to us to take the fun away from them and put needle pricks.”
However, there is great hope among the Saarlanders for another sensation, after all, the team has proven “what is possible with our fans behind them.
That’s why, with all due respect, we can go into the game confidently,” said goalkeeper Tim Schreiber.
Saarbrücken happily accepts the role of outsider.
“We are outsiders, have nothing to lose, but can gain a lot,” said Schreiber.
Saarbrücken is hoping to reach the DFB Cup semi-finals against Gladbach.
© Jan Huebner / Imago Images
Against the fright of the favorites: Borussia Mönchengladbach wants to keep the cup dream alive
For Gladbach, on the other hand, they have a great chance of reaching the semi-finals of the DFB Cup for the first time since 2017 against the underdog.
“There is a lot at stake.
It will be crucial that we manage to adapt to these conditions during the game,” explained “Foals” coach Gerardo Seoane.
It is important to find “emotional balance”.
If they win, Gladbach would be the only first division team in the semi-finals alongside Bayer Leverkusen.
The title would therefore be within reach.
It is important to adapt as best as possible to the difficult course conditions.
“We are facing an opponent who deserves to have come this far.
If the pitch doesn't have the best conditions, we have to adapt the way we play.
We also have to defend very well and pay attention to the transition game,” Seoane made clear.
(LuHa/dpa)