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Madrid (AP) - Badly played, great achievements: Borussia Mönchengladbach did not have to be ashamed of their historic European Cup moment in Madrid.
It is true that the previous Champions League surprise team of coach Marco Rose showed the weakest performance of the group stage in the 2-0 (0-2) on Wednesday in the last group stage match at Real Madrid.
Nevertheless, in the end, being runner-up in the group in the third Champions League participation after 2015 and 2016, the first step into the knockout round.
«I am very proud of the boys.
This is a special moment for the fans, for the club, which we are very happy about, ”said Rose, because the other group opponents Inter Milan and Shakhtar Donetsk only played 0-0.
With ten points, the previously stumbling Real secured victory in the group.
Gladbach, second in the round of 16 draws on Monday, will again be drawn to a heavyweight in European football: Liverpool FC, Manchester City, Chelsea FC, Juventus Turin or Paris St. Germain.
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“We deserved it with our strong performances before”, enthused captain Lars Stindl and Christoph Kramer said: “The bottom line is that we didn't have a chance today.
But the bottom line is that we deserve it.
We got eight points in an incredibly difficult group. "
In fact, Gladbach would have earned the first round of 16 in the European premier class in 43 years earlier.
In the 1977/78 season, Borussia had last reached the semi-finals in the Champions League forerunner European Cup.
Borussia could have made the knockout round of the Champions League earlier, maybe even should.
The strong performances at Inter and in the first leg against Real (both 2-2) remained unrewarded due to late equalizer goals.
«We deserve to be in the round of 16 with eight points in this difficult group.
We were able to score against every opponent, »said Rose.
The Gladbachers spoke so willingly honestly about their discouraged appearance in the decisive group game in Madrid.
"Really under Duck, the way you performed today, that is a level that we struggled with today," said Rose, who admitted that he had lost "very, very deservedly".
Real would have been eliminated in the preliminary round for the first time ever in a Champions League participation if they lost.
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Gladbach coach Rose before the game
Real coach Zidane before the game