Borussia Mönchengladbach have lost their first six Bundesliga matches, scoring 8 goals and conceding 20, and face VfB Stuttgart on Friday with a seventh straight defeat at the start of the season possible. No club has previously opened a season with seven defeats, and Gladbach are also dealing with a long injury list and reported dressing-room unrest.
Results and record threat
On matchday 3, captain Tim Kleindienst was sent off for a second bookable offence in the 5-0 defeat by SC Freiburg.
In early September, after the 4-3 defeat by SV Elversberg, Kleindienst publicly criticised Gladbach's younger players. He said: "We need to raise our focus pretty quickly so that it lasts for 90 minutes, and I don't know what the reason is — watch less TikTok or whatever, I don't really care what they do."
He also said: "You're 3-1 up here, have everything under control, and I have no idea what happens then. Whether there was a power cut somewhere, or what was going on in some people's heads."
Asked whether conceding so many goals was also connected to having so many young players in the starting XI, Kleindienst said: "It's normal for them to make mistakes, too. But after the second, third, fourth, it should stop at some point. And you have to learn a bit during a match. That just didn't happen."
Reported dressing-room issues
GOAL reported that, according to Sport Bild, there is talk of a "broken dressing room" at Borussia Mönchengladbach. GOAL also reported that, according to Sport Bild, players are focusing on themselves and cliques are forming.
GOAL reported that, according to Sport Bild, the Japanese players are identified as one such group: Ko Itakura, Daiki Hashioka, Zento Uno and Shuto Machino. GOAL also reported that Sport Bild says Kleindienst's public criticism split the team.
Leadership gap and response
GOAL reported that Borussia lost virtually the entire leadership core of the previous season in Rocco Reitz, Nico Elvedi, Haris Tabakovic and Yannik Engelhardt over the summer. GOAL reported that Sport Bild says that has left a leadership vacuum.
GOAL reported that Sport Bild says vice-captains Kevin Diks and Philipp Sander, along with goalkeeper Moritz Nicolas, have tried to fill the gap. GOAL reported that Sport Bild says they attempted to rouse the team at half-time on Sunday during the 2-1 defeat by Hoffenheim, but left without a word after the match.
GOAL reported that, according to Sport Bild, the dismissal of the sporting leadership, including Rouwen Schröder, is ruled out for now.
Injuries continue to mount
Kleindienst suffered a torn muscle fibre and is out until further notice. Jens Castrop suffered a serious shoulder injury in the summer and only recently returned to training in part.
Enzo Leopold tore his cruciate ligament in the first cup round. Nicolas Kühn has made only one appearance for Borussia so far. He suffered a muscle bundle tear on his debut against Elversberg in early September and has been out since.
Ko Itakura is also troubled by a muscle bundle tear. GOAL reported that Jan Leszczynski is said to have suffered a meniscus tear and is expected to be out for months. Franck Honorat and Isaac Lidberg are also struggling with muscle injuries.