Freiburg (Germany) (AFP)
Mönchengladbach missed a golden opportunity Friday to consolidate his fourth place in the Bundesliga, qualifying for the C1, conceding to ten an unexpected 1-0 defeat in Freiburg, after the exclusion of his star striker Alassane Pléa.
Four days to go, Borussia, which is playing its best season since 1984, remains stuck in fourth position with 56 pts. But its direct competitors for the Champions League are playing this weekend.
Leverkusen, 56 pts also, will have to achieve a feat to take a point against Bayern Munich (Saturday 3.30pm). But Leipzig (58 pts) can however make the hole almost definitively by receiving the red Paderborn lantern.
In the closed session imposed by the coronavirus, Marcus Thuram and his teammates nevertheless dominated, especially in the first hour, but their inability to transform their opportunities cost them dearly.
And in the second period, the German international striker (two caps) Nils Petersen opened the scoring for Friborg on his first ball after entering the game, with a powerful header on receipt of a free kick (1-0, 58e).
Ten minutes later, Frenchman Alassane Pléa, the key man in Borussia's attack this season (10 goals, 11 assists), was excluded for a second yellow card. In the process, the referee also showed a red card to the sports director of Borussia Max Eberl, guilty of having protested a little vigorously, behind his anti-coronavirus mask.
The sanction is very fraught with consequences, since Pléa will be suspended next week for the reception of Bayern Munich, a crucial match in the race to qualify for the Champions League.
Ironically, the justice of the peace in this C1 race could now be Bayern Munich. With already a hand on the "Schale", the champion's trophy, the Rekordmeister plays successively against Leverkusen on Saturday, before receiving Mönchengladbach next week.
The two teams from the Rhine will have a taste of the highest level of what may await them next season in Europe.
© 2020 AFP