Schubert laughs off claims he is ´Harry Potter of German football´

Andre Schubert has laughed off being labelled the ‘Harry Potter of German football’ as he attempts to lead Borussia Monchengladbach to a surprise Champions League win over Juventus. 

Gladbach welcome Juve to Borussia-Park on Tuesday having held last season’s beaten European Cup finalists to a 0-0 draw in Turin last month.

Despite that result Gladbach are bottom of Group D with just one point from three games and will be eliminated from contention for a place in the knock-out stages if they lose to the Serie A champions and Manchester City overcome Sevilla.

However, Gladbach can take solace from their domestic form under interim coach Schubert, who has overseen six straight Bundesliga wins since taking over from Lucien Favre in September and also saw his team beat Schalke in the DFB-Pokal last week.

Gladbach are now fifth in the Bundesliga and, asked about comparisons to the popular literary character, Schubert – referencing the character’s famous lightning bolt scar – said: “I have a scar on my cheek.

“It’s from when I was three, it doesn’t say anything though, that I’m a magician or something. Magic exists in football, but this is our work, and it’s about concentration.

“The wizards are on the pitch.”