VfB needs to rebound

After the blowout against Bayern in the Pokal, VfB is in dire need of a "statement" of power. Arriving just in time is bottom of the table Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Prior to match Markus Babbel sounded the charge:

"Tomorrow we hope to be able to show a reaction to the poor display against Bayern. We most certainly don't want to experience another such performance or we will have a problem against Gladbach too.

"We can't afford to bury our heads in the sand now, we need to recall the good performances we put on before the winter break.

"We will need to play aggressively but also orderly. We need to permanently occupy our opponents until they realise that there is nothing to be won here."

"I won't announce my team just yet but it's not about who plays, rather about how we approach the game. I like to play with two men up front. I intend to play with Bastürk there again because I have high hopes of the effectiveness of that alternative - we just never got the ball into the right areas.

"In the second half of the season, Gladbach have the chance to pull away from the drop zone and they will do all in their power to achieve that goal. It's certainly not a foregone conclusion. Borussia have made some very good new signings."

VfB will be without Sebastian Rudy, Timo Gebhart, Cacau and Arthur Boka.