Borussia Mönchengladbach begin the 2026/27 Bundesliga season with Tim Kleindienst as their new captain. The club aims to return to the top half of the table after a disappointing 12th-place finish last season, as detailed in a report by bundesliga.com this week.
The team ended the 2025/26 campaign in 12th with 38 points. Under manager Eugen Polanski, who took over during the season, they recorded nine wins and ten draws in 31 league games. A major issue was a blunt attack: just 42 goals scored was their lowest tally since the 2008/09 season. The final standings show Gladbach in 14th place with 30 points from 29 games (7 wins, 9 draws, 13 losses) and a goal difference of 35 scored and 49 conceded. Their recent form reads LDDWL.
Who are the new faces in the squad?
The squad has seen significant summer turnover. Ten new players arrived, while key pillars departed. Midfielder Rocco Reitz joined RB Leipzig. Defensive stalwart Nico Elvedi, a club legend after 11 years, moved to Leeds United. As a direct replacement for Elvedi, sporting director Rouven Schröder brought Ko Itakura back from Ajax. The Japan international previously spent three years at Gladbach, making 80 appearances. Rouven Schröder said: "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." Itakura made his second debut in the DFB Cup, playing 33 minutes in the 5-0 win over Schott Mainz.
Further reinforcements include striker Isac Lidberg from Darmstadt, who was the second-top scorer in Bundesliga 2 with 17 goals, and young talents Hugo Bolin and Wael Mohya, who are set for increased game time. The full overview of the current squad is available on our squad page.
Can Tim Kleindienst ignite the attack?
All hopes are pinned on captain Tim Kleindienst. The forward missed almost the entire last season with a knee injury. However, in the 2024/25 campaign, he scored 16 league goals and earned a call-up to the German national team. His return is crucial for goal threat. Last season, defender Kevin Diks was the team's second-top scorer with five goals, four of which were penalties. Loanee Haris Tabaković managed 13 goals. Without Kleindienst, the attack lacked a focal point.
Manager Eugen Polanski used his first full pre-season to implement his own ideas. Friendly results were promising, with wins against sides like Wuppertal (6-0), Hoffenheim (4-1), and Aston Villa (2-1). A shift towards more aggressive, attacking football is reported, aimed at correcting last season's poor scoring output.
What does the season start look like?
The opening fixtures are challenging. The season kicks off away to fourth-placed RB Leipzig on 29 August 2026. That is followed by a home game against newly-promoted Elversberg and an away trip to Freiburg. These first three matches will provide an early indicator of the team's competitiveness. The full season schedule can be viewed on our fixtures page.
The ambition is clear: Gladbach wants to trouble the top half of the table for the first time since the 2020/21 season. They finished the last campaign 46 points behind champions Bayern Munich. The defence, which conceded 49 goals, must become more solid, while the attack led by Kleindienst needs to find more cutting edge. The development of young players and the integration of new signings under Polanski's guidance will be key determinants of the season's course. The current standings show the starting point for this climb.
