Schubert: I would have liked to see Leo Messi play at Borussia Park

Borussia Monchengladbach coach Andre Schubert would like Lionel Messi to have been available for Wednesday’s Champions League game against Barcelona. However, he says the Argentine’s absence won’t affect how his side approach the game. Here’s what he had to say in his pre-game press conference: 

On Barça’s visit: “Seeing the expectation of all the media around Gladbach, you can say that we’re talking about a special game. We’ll approach it like any other, though. We know we’re against a team with world class players. It’s fun to test yourself against the best. There is no reason to feel intimidated. We’re going to give our all in the match and also try and enjoy it.” 

Missing Messi: “It’s a strange situation. You can’t be happy that a player is injured, it’s sad that a player can’t play because of injury and I would have liked to see Leo Messi play at Borussia Park. Despite his absence, we’re against a really, really strong team, although they’re without the best player in the world. But the fact there’s no Messi doesn’t change the way we’ll approach the game tactically.” 

Returning Marc-Andre: “Without doubt Ter Stegen is one of the best goalkeepers in the world at the moment. He’s capable of joining in with the construction of Barça’s plays, becoming another outfield player almost. He’s demonstrated how good he is. He’s a really, really good keeper who has progressed and has shown many times how important he is.” 

Planning: “The [4-0 defeat] to Manchester City hasn’t had any major consequences in terms of how we plan for Barcelona, but it has affected what we’re doing on a daily basis. We learnt a lot from that game.”