Borussia Mönchengladbach’s new manager Alexander Blessing’s first Bundesliga assignment ended in a 2‑1 defeat to arch‑rivals Köln, a result that will force the club to regroup after a shaky start to the season. The match, played at Gladbach’s home ground, was a high‑stakes derby that exposed gaps in the team’s defensive structure and highlighted the absence of several key players.
The Gelsenkirchen side entered the fixture with a depleted squad. Striker Tim Kleindienst and defender Ko Itakura were listed as injured, while midfielder Franck Honorat was also sidelined. Blessing had only a few days to meet the remaining squad before the trip, leaving little time for tactical preparation. The team’s defensive line struggled to absorb the “frontal instruction” that Blessing had introduced during training, a concept he had successfully used at St Pauli. The lack of depth was further compounded by the absence of forward Ragnar Ache and midfielder Thijs Dallinga, who were also unavailable.
Köln, meanwhile, faced their own challenges. Their star midfielder Ellyes Skhiri was stretchered off early in the first half, and the club’s mascot Hennes IX was quarantined at the city zoo following an avian‑flu outbreak. Despite these setbacks, the visitors produced a decisive performance. Germany international Saïd El Mala, who had recently signed a contract extension after a failed move to Dortmund, scored the winning goal. The 21‑year‑old cut inside from the left and fired a right‑footed shot into the far corner past Gladbach’s goalkeeper Moritz Nicolas. El Mala, who has been praised for his resilience after a rough patch, said he never felt so fired up for a game.
The defeat is a blow to Gladbach’s ambitions, especially after the club has lost several key players in recent years, including Marcus Thuram, Jonas Hofmann and Rocco Reitz. Blessing now faces the task of rebuilding a team that has been described as “running poorly” and must climb out of the lower part of the table. While he may not be the high‑profile coach that some fans hoped for, his experience in managing limited resources could prove valuable in the current environment.
In other Bundesliga action, Freiburg extended their lead at the top of the table despite playing much of the second half with ten men against Schalke. The German side’s 2‑1 victory over the Red Bull club was secured by an 85th‑minute header from Kaisuke Goto, who capitalised on a perfect cross from Vincenzo Grifo. Meanwhile, Dortmund suffered a 2‑2 draw with Werder Bremen, losing their perfect start to the season after a stoppage‑time equaliser from former striker Niclas Füllkrug. Bayern Munich also dropped points, drawing 2‑2 with Augsburg after conceding the fastest Bundesliga goal in history, an 8.4‑second strike by Robin Fellhauer. The match underscored the challenges faced by the German giants as they navigate a transitional period under new manager Vincent Kompany.