When Marcus Thuram pulls his jersey with the number 10 over a corner flag and dances across the lawn waving this flag, then the world of Borussia Mönchengladbach is in order. The French footballer turned 25 on Saturday and scored the landmark second goal for Gladbach in the 71st minute in the 3-1 win over TSG Hoffenheim. Some skeptical fans may not have expected that Thuram would still play for Borussia, because his contract expires at the end of this season, making him one of four acute sales candidates.
All four – Thuram, goalkeeper Yann Sommer, attacker Jonas Hofmann and left-back Ramy Bensebaini – played really well against Hoffenheim. You just don’t know yet whether that’s good or bad for Gladbach, whether that was an expression of loyalty and devotion or rather an open application into the industry four times.
In the case of Thuram, said the new coach Daniel Farke afterwards, he doesn’t really fear leaving, because: “Marcus is with us head and heart.” Everything else now has to be done by sports director Roland Virkus, he has to make Thuram a convincing offer for a contract extension. Farke says: “Financially Gladbach is not exactly on a bed of roses, but a compliment that Roland Virkus has already been able to extend Alassane Plea – hopefully more will follow.”
Very slow on the move: Bundesliga debutant Daniel Farke seemed taken back when his Gladbachers scored.
(Foto: Frederic Scheidemann/Getty Images)
The transfer window closes in just over three weeks. There could still be 23 days of uncertainty for Borussia. In the worst-case scenario, nothing happens at all. If the players are neither sold nor their contracts extended, Gladbach threatens to lose them on a free transfer next summer. That would be bad for the squad and even worse for the bookkeeping.
Interestingly enough, at the start of the season, all the wobbly candidates demonstrated their value with great enthusiasm. Left-back Bensebaini, for example, was solid in defence, but at the same time showed the usual offensive qualities and scored the 1-1 equalizer in the 42nd minute with an overhead kick that will almost certainly be voted Borussia’s goal of the month. There is said to be interest in Bensebaini throughout Europe. However, the expected international chain reaction at left-back has not yet really picked up speed, as can be seen from Leipzig left-back Angeliño. But that can happen at any time.
Thuram and Bensebaini are thriving again under Farke after a difficult year and a half
Die Rheinische Post just asked her readers whose contract extension they would be most excited about. Sommer and Hofmann united almost all voices. Thuram and Bensebaini only landed in the single-digit percentage range, perhaps because they had playfully disappeared a bit in a critical Gladbach phase in the past year and a half. Under Farke, however, they seem to be thriving again. With commitment, goals and a good mood, you quickly win back the sympathy of the fans.
For example Plea. This Frenchman was also considered a change candidate. His contract was also only valid for this season, but last week he extended it until 2025. He promptly showed an excellent game against Hoffenheim, scored Thuram to make it 2-1 and Nico Elvedi in the 78th minute to make it 3 :1 and did not score his own goal simply because Hoffenheim’s goalkeeper Oliver Baumann masterfully parried all his shots.
In their superior game, Gladbach benefited from the fact that Hoffenheim’s Stefan Posch was sent off after two serious fouls with a yellow-red card in the 19th minute. Although Robert Skov gave Hoffenheim a 1-0 lead in the 25th minute, Bensebaini’s overhead kick just before the break marked the turnaround. So it was not a good start to the season for the new Hoffenheim coach André Breitenreiter, who surprisingly became champion in Switzerland with FC Zurich in the spring.
Gladbach’s new coach Farke, on the other hand, already seems to be having a positive impact on the team. Sports director Virkus could benefit from this if he puts the players on new contracts. Vice President Rainer Bonhof says: “The talks are going very well, we hope that we can convince them and I would appreciate it if one or the other would sign.”
From the mouth of the world champion (1974) and two-time European champion (1972 and 1980), the friendly invitation to sign has a certain resonance. No wish should be denied to such a deserving man.
