Raffael eyes UEFA Champions League push

Borussia Monchengladbach attacker Raffael says the win over Borussia Dortmund can reinvigorate their push for the UEFA Champions League.

The Brazilian continued his recent fine form in front of goal with his fourth strike in five Bundesliga appearances as Monchengladbach secured a 2-1 win at Signal Iduna Park on Saturday, despite playing the last 20 minutes with 10 men after Havard Nordtveit was sent off.

The victory marked the first time that Lucien Favre’s men had won in the top flight since the league resumed after the mid-season break, ending a run of seven games without a victory.

Monchengladbach are still seventh in the table and five points adrift of fourth-placed Bayer Leverkusen.

But Raffael, who has featured in Europe’s premier competition with former club Dynamo Kiev, is confident of clawing back that gap and is hoping that the Dortmund triumph will prove to be a catalyst.

“We still can make it into the Champions League,” he told Bild. “With Kiev I have been there, but somehow I couldn’t really enjoy it.

“I want to experience it all with Gladbach, it would be fantastic. This is my team, I feel at home here.

“The result in Dortmund was not just any. Playing against this world-class team and their great fans, is a very complicated mission. The fact that we have done it for the second time this season inspires us, gives us extra power.

“Now I believe again that we have a great chance for a Champions League spot. We are only five points behind Leverkusen. If we play like we did in Dortmund, we can do it.”