Alexander Blessin is the new head coach of Borussia Mönchengladbach. The 53-year-old takes over the relegation-threatened Bundesliga side following a disappointing 3-4 home defeat to Mainz.
The team has lost all four of its opening matches and sits bottom of the table with zero points, having conceded 16 goals. President Rainer Bonhof appeared stunned after the latest setback. An observer described the scene at Borussia-Park, saying Bonhof "leaned over the railing in disbelief, remaining there with his arms and head."
Sporting director Rouven Schröder had already announced the agreement with Blessin before the match. "I have a verbal agreement with a successor for the dismissed Eugen Polanski," Schröder said. Polanski was sacked after the poor start, with interim coach Jan-Moritz Lichte bridging the gap. Blessin has signed a contract until 30 June 2026.
Biggest Problem is Defence
Blessin's most urgent task is to stabilise a defensively weak team. Gladbach recently conceded five goals in Freiburg and four against Mainz. The new coach must stop this run. He takes over a squad described as mentally shattered, with reported unrest in the dressing room. Blessin and Schröder must now work together to develop a functioning rescue plan.
The coach is allowed to bring a maximum of one new assistant and will otherwise work with the existing team of Lichte and Markus Gellhaus. He accepted a similar setup at his previous club Union Saint-Gilloise.
Pressure Starts Immediately
The pressure on Blessin begins immediately after the international break. His first match is the Rhineland derby away to 1. FC Köln on October 11. Gladbach will go into this prestigious fixture with zero points. Köln currently sits in 13th place. The season's objective remains clear: avoiding relegation. The team has not won a single match this season and has scored only one goal in the first half of any game.
Blessin must also moderate the heated debate surrounding his own appointment. Critics have accused Schröder of influencing many of previous coach Polanski's decisions. Now the pair must work closely together. The current squad list shows the players Blessin can call upon, including captain Tim Kleindienst and goalscorer Shuto Machino. Jens Castrop, Yukhym Konoplya and Enzo Leopold remain sidelined through injury.
The new coach has little time to prepare the team for the derby. All of the club's upcoming fixtures can be found on the fixtures calendar. The coming weeks will show if Blessin can initiate a turnaround. The team must improve its form quickly to avoid slipping further down the table.
First reported at Bild Sport
