Favre doubts Gladbach capability

Borussia Monchengladbach coach Lucien Favre says the club will be unable to repeat their miracle 2011/12 season this time around.

The 54-year-old tactician masterminded last year’s impressive campaign, which saw the club finish in fourth place and qualify for the Champions League.

And, after losing over two legs to Dinamo Kiev in a play-off, the Swiss man has tried to dampen expectations by explaining last season as a one-off.

“I can say with certainty that we cannot play the outstanding football we did last season,” he told a press conference on Tuesday.

“It is very, very dangerous for us to think that we can.”

New signings Granit Xhaka and Luuk De Jong, however, believe Champions League qualification is a possibility for the Bundesliga club in 2012/13.

“I’ve been playing with Basel in the Champions League,” Xhaka said.

“And I can tell you how awesome those nights are.

“I want to be there with Gladbach.”

Similarly, De Jong said: “This club has some amazing fans, and they deserve to watch the best football possible. Against Kiev we just missed qualification. But my goal is to get there again with this club.”