Arango confident after Foals' first away win
Hamburg - Borussia Mönchengladbach winger is quietly confident of his side's chances of success this season after Matchday 11's 2-0 win at Hamburger SV, the Foals' first away victory of the campaign.
In an exclusive interview with bundesliga.com, the Venezuelan international revealed that the team is "gelling" with each passing week and, while he stopped short of naming a definitive target for the season, the midfield maestro believes the signs are positive for Lucien Favre's side
bundesliga.com: Juan Arango, would you say the victory over Hamburg was deserved?
Juan Arango: I think so. We were very solid and secure at the back for most of the match. We were able to counterattack quickly and Max Kruse was clinical in front of goal.
bundesliga.com: It was your first away victory of the season. Why did it take so long in coming?
Arango: We actually played well in our last two away games, especially in Augsburg , where we just couldn't find the winner. But we’ve been rewarded for our efforts this time.
bundesliga.com: Borussia hadn’t won two consecutive Bundesliga matches since February 2012. It was about time you did, wasn’t it?
Arango: It was, but we earned it. We've been pretty consistent this season and we always try to control the game and win. We need to keep that up.
bundesliga.com: The team seems to be getting stronger with every match...
Arango: Definitely. We're really starting to gel as a team and that shows on the pitch. But for all our development, it’s still important to win games. We’re managing to do that at the moment and it’s giving us self-belief. We have to continue to go about our business with the same mentality so that we maintain our good position in the league.
bundesliga.com: You have 19 points so far, but you had 20 at the same stage last season. Is a place in the top four realistic?
Arango: We’re not looking that far ahead yet. There are still a lot of games to go. We’re taking each one as it comes and trying to perform to our full capabilities each weekend.
bundesliga.com: Your next opponents are 1. FC Nürnberg. Borussia are clear favourites on paper, but is that really the case?
Arango: No, definitely not. Every game is different in the Bundesliga and it’s impossible to predict. Braunschweig’s victory over Leverkusen proved as much - hardly anyone would have expected that. Nürnberg aren’t doing too well at the moment, but they have great players that could cause us problems, as they did last season when they won 3-2 at the Borussia Park. We have to be on our toes.
Interview by Michael Reis
Arango is just one of several free-kick specialists the Bundesliga has had over the years. Take a look at some of the best dead-ball strikes on the Bundesliga's official YouTube channel:
