Ramy Bensebaini (left) and national player Jonas Hofmann celebrate a goal. Image: www.imago-images.de / IMAGO/nordphoto GmbH
Bundesliga
Borussia Mönchengladbach messed up the dress rehearsal for the Bundesliga restart next Sunday (5:30 p.m.) against Bayer Leverkusen. Last Saturday there was a 1-0 defeat against second division St. Pauli. Playful and combative, the “foals” disappointed over the entire game.
Although coach Daniel Farke sent his supposed top eleven onto the field in the first 60 minutes, the only question is whether this team will still be together on Sunday or by the end of the change period on January 31st.
The constant rumors about regular players willing to change shouldn’t have made the coach’s work easier during the long World Cup break. After two years in the middle of the table, Gladbach has a big goal: the return to international business. But that will be difficult enough under the current conditions.
Who stays in Gladbach anyway?
Because much more than playing systems, pressing moments and rehearsing standard situations there were almost daily new reports about the interest of top European clubs in a player around Borussia.
With Yann Sommer, Ramy Bensebaini, Marcus Thuram and Manu Koné, four absolute regular players will probably no longer play in the Lower Rhine by summer at the latest.
Sommer’s contract expires in the summer, he wants to go to Bayern, but Gladbach won’t let him go for the time being. At the beginning of the preparations, both sides emphasized that they had started contract talks. Gladbach wants to extend until 2026, while Sommer is looking at one last big contract with a club where he can play for titles.
A similar situation arises with defender Ramy Bensebaini and forward Marcus Thuram. Both contracts expire in the summer and so far there have been no signs from the players that they will stay in Gladbach beyond the summer.
Means: If Gladbach wants to earn some more money, they both have to give up in winter. For Thuram, who is the second-best scorer in the league with ten goals, the pain threshold should be 10 million euros. According to reports, Manchester United, Inter Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and also Bayern Munich are said to be interested.
There has been a persistent rumor surrounding Bensebaini for a long time that he would like to switch to Borussia Dortmund. Only for Koné would there be a fee in the summer, because his contract runs until 2025. Numerous top international clubs are said to have already knocked on the door.
Added to this are the expiring contracts of captain Lars Stindl and the experienced Tony Jantschke. The positive news in terms of personnel planning: Christoph Kramer extended his contract during the winter break until 2025.
Gladbach and the inexplicable dropouts
Only three points separate Borussia in eighth place from sixth place. But the starting position could be much better if the “foals” hadn’t delivered inexplicable dropouts in the first 15 games.
Gladbach’s first half was like a rollercoaster ride. After the 3-0 win over RB Leipzig, a violent 1-5 smack against Werder Bremen followed. In the following week, 1. FC Köln was defeated 5:2 in the Rheinderby. A similar picture emerged before the World Cup break: a 2-1 defeat at table penultimate Bochum was followed by an inspiring 4-2 win over BVB.
“We had good games, but also a few where things didn’t go so well,” defender Nico Elvedi summarized the season so far in an interview with the “Bild” newspaper.
Gladbach coach Daniel Farke could still lose important regular players by the end of January. Image: www.imago-images.de / imago images
Coach Daniel Farke, who took over the team from the hapless Adi Hütter last summer, was able to spark a new euphoria in Borussia Park with his style of football.
According to Elvedi, the power now only has to be called up constantly. Then the team from the Lower Rhine can turn off a very blatant weakness: the away record. In seven games there were only four draws and three defeats – the fourth worst figure in the league.
Without a victory abroad, it will be difficult to assert oneself in the fight for international places.
Return of Itakura and Neuhaus gives hope
In order for that to succeed, coach Farke also spoke a little clearer words and made it clear that no player was guaranteed a regular place. “Anyone can impose themselves in the coming week,” he said after Saturday’s friendly.
The return of two long-term injuries gives the Gladbachers particular hope. Central defender Ko Itakura returns after tearing a knee ligament and a strong World Cup. He gave the defense security until his injury and will now give it additional stability again. There is also Florian Neuhaus, who will still need time after his cruciate ligament injury, but will be an enrichment for the offensive.
Even if sports director Virkus called for a certain humility before the season, Nico Elvedi made it clear: “The team definitely has the quality to be able to play the European places.”
After a long period of uncertainty about his future in the Haas Formula 1 racing team, Mick Schumacher embarked on a new adventure. After two years with the American team, Michael Schumacher’s son is back in the second row. The 23-year-old is now a substitute driver at Mercedes.
