Graham Alexander emphasizes the significance of Bradford City’s upcoming EFL Trophy group match against Barnsley, despite both teams already securing qualification for the knockout stages.
Following two consecutive defeats during Alexander’s early tenure as manager, the match holds considerable importance for Bradford City, particularly after a disheartening 4-2 loss to Notts County in League Two.
Despite both teams having secured qualification, Alexander rejects the notion that the Yorkshire encounter is a mere ‘dead rubber.’ Acknowledging the need for a turnaround, he asserts that every match is an opportunity to fight and win in professional football.
In response to their recent poor form, Alexander plans to make changes to the team and provide other players with an opportunity while expecting a performance akin to their second-half display against Notts County.
Despite already having six points each from two fixtures, there is an additional incentive for the winner of the group – earning a home ground advantage in the next round.
Alexander sees this competition as an opportunity for League One and Two teams to reach Wembley and emphasizes the importance of approaching every game with a winning mentality to build momentum.
Barnsley, currently on a run of four successive away games, has shown strong away form, having lost only once in nine matches on the road in the 2023-24 season. They face Lincoln City in League One after the EFL Trophy match, while Bradford City has successive home matches this week against Accrington Stanley in League Two during the upcoming weekend.
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