Lars Ricken before the flight to Manchester: “We are ready” | OneFootball

Lars Ricken on the anticipation ahead of the match in Manchester:“There's Champions League optimism again, and we're flying to Manchester in high spirits. We've had a perfect week with three wins, and have now won four games in a row. That's good. But the best thing is that everyone is aware that we need to improve. I think our defence is really top notch: we've now kept six clean sheets in the Bundesliga, which is the best record in Europe. But it's also clear that when we have the ball, we can't just rely on our efficiency, we have to be more creative in carving out chances. Everyone is aware of that."

...Borussia Dortmund's confidence:“The recent victories give us security, confidence — and a good atmosphere in the dressing room. We’ll definitely need that against Manchester City too. It’s one of the biggest challenges in European football. We want to stay in the leading pack. So the message is: we’re ready to take something away with us.”

...his expectations for the game:“We’ll see what both teams are willing to allow. I think we’ve already made an impression in the Champions League with 12 goals scored – only PSG have scored more. That suggests it will be a spectacular game. City have Erling Haaland up front, who scores like clockwork. So in that respect, it could certainly turn into a spectacle, but whatever happens, the main thing is that we take something back to Dortmund.”

...Manchester City striker Erling Haaland:“First of all, we’re looking forward to playing against players of such quality who used to play for BVB and whom we also appreciate as people. What he has achieved in recent years is truly extraordinary, bordering on perfection. He is the driving force behind this team. Of course, it will help if we take him out of the game, but there’s no guarantee that will happen. I think we’re strong defensively, we have centre-backs who will make life difficult for him. And don’t forget that we have Serhou Guirassy, who was the top scorer in the Champions League last year. I don’t think we need to shy away.”