Borussia Mönchengladbach 2026/27 season preview: Can Tim Kleindienst get the Foals firing again?
After a disastrous start to the 2025/26 season that put Borussia Mönchengladbach in real danger of relegation, Eugen Polanski took over and eventually steadied the ship to seal safety. With a positive pre-season behind them and talisman Tim Kleindienst's return to fitness, the Foals will be hoping to trouble the top half of the table once again for the first time since 2020/21.
Borussia Mönchengladbach
2025/26 finish: 12th
Pre-season results: 6-0 win vs. Wuppertal, 2-1 win vs. Rot-Weiss Essen, 3-1 win vs. Hansa Rostock, 15-0 win vs. Rottach-Egern, 4-1 win vs. Hoffenheim, 8-0 win vs. Velbert, 2-1 win vs. Aston Villa
First three fixtures: RB Leipzig (A), Elversberg (H), Freiburg (A)
What to expect?
Gladbach may have avoided relegation last season, but their points total was still only 38, as Polanski led his side to nine wins and 10 draws from his 31 league games in charge.
To rectify last season’s disappointing campaign, something of a personnel overhaul has taken place, after midfielder Rocco Reitz joined RB Leipzig and club legend Nico Elvedi moved to Leeds United. In response to these outgoings, Gladbach have signed no less than 10 players, including some of the standout names of last season’s Bundesliga 2.
Watch: Highlights of Gladbach's friendly against Wuppertal
Polanski has now also had the chance to implement his own ideas in his first pre-season at the club, with a potential shift towards more aggressive attacking football seemingly on the cards.
Key new signing: Ko Itakura
With Elvedi leaving the club after 11 years, Gladbach were in desperate need of a secure option at the back to accompany Kevin Diks, and in the end, they turned to a familiar face in Itakura. The Japan international only left the Foals for Ajax last summer, but he is already back at the club where he made 80 appearances over three years.
See all Gladbach's summer comings and goings here
"We are very pleased that we were able to sign a player who, in terms of quality and experience, exactly matches the profile we were looking for after the departure of Nico Elvedi," said sporting director Rouven Schröder when discussing Itakura’s return.
Itakura made his second Gladbach debut from the bench in the 5-0 win at Schott Mainz in the DFB Cup, playing 33 minutes.
Watch: Itakura's Gladbach best bits
Key player: Tim Kleindienst
The Foals only managed 42 league goals last season - their lowest total since their first season back in the Bundesliga in 2008/09 - and much of that was down to the injury absence of their talisman Kleindienst. Although loanee Haris Tabaković proved integral to Gladbach’s survival with 13 league goals, their next highest scorer was centre-back Diks, who bagged five, four of which were penalties.
Kleindienst had been Gladbach’s leading man in 2024/25 as he notched 16 league goals and earned a Germany call-up, and now that he is seemingly over the knee injury that saw him miss almost all of last season, the hope is now that the club captain - a role that he was unable to fulfil last term - can once again lead the Gladbach frontline.
Check out Gladbach's new jerseys for 2026/27
Talking point
As already alluded to, Gladbach’s biggest problem last season was scoring goals, and although the return of Kleindienst should help with that, they will also need other players to step up. Isac Lidberg was Bundesliga 2’s second top scorer last season with 17 goals for Darmstadt, which should help to alleviate the burden on the returning Kleindienst.
Borussia will also be hoping that some of their young stars can have a breakthrough season, with the likes of Hugo Bolin and Wael Mohya set for increased game time in midfield and on the flanks.
Follow Gladbach's Bundesliga opener at RB Leipzig here!
