Borussia Mönchengladbach has started preparations for the new Bundesliga season with seven new signings and a revamped coaching staff. At 28°C, the team trained in front of 1,500 fans on their training ground in Mönchengladbach. Head coach Eugen Polanski is under pressure after an inconsistent debut season but must now prove his team can deliver more consistent performances. League standing: 12th in Bundesliga, 38 pts, 9W-11D-14L from 34 games, recent form WLWDD.

What's new at Gladbach?

The squad has been strengthened with Daniel Batz (goalkeeper, Mainz 05), David Herold (left-back, Karlsruher SC), Jan Leszczynski (center-back, Legia Warschau), Juchim Konoplja (right-back, Schachtar Donezk), Enzo Leopold (midfielder, Hannover 96), and Isac Lidberg (striker, Darmstadt 98). Sporting director Rouven Schröder emphasized: «We wanted competition from the start.»

Why the change in the coaching staff?

Despite finishing 12th with just 38 points, Schröder kept faith in Polanski but replaced his assistants. Jan-Moritz Lichte and Markus Gellhaus have taken over from Oliver Neuville and Guido Streichsbier. Polanski said: «We have the chance to start from scratch.»

What does Polanski say about expectations?

The 40-year-old coach remained calm: «I’m not offended by criticism.» He pointed out that he only joined midway through last season and couldn’t make major changes. «Now we have the chance to implement our vision of football.»

What's next for Gladbach?

On August 15, the official season opener takes place in the Borussia-Park with a friendly against Aston Villa. In the first round of the DFB-Pokal, Gladbach will face fifth-tier TSV Schott Mainz on August 23. The Bundesliga season kicks off on August 24 with an away game against RB Leipzig. The first home match follows a week later against newly promoted SV Elversberg.