What a home debut for Borussia Mönchengladbach’s interim coach Eugen Polanski! After the separation from Gerardo Seoane, the 39-year-old previous U-23 coach experienced a ten-goal spectacle-but without points for his team.
In the 4: 6 (0: 5) against Eintracht Frankfurt, Gladbach performed a performance that was equal to a complete disaster before the team got up and put on a four-goal closing sprint. Ultimately, the Gladbacher remained twelve games without victory for the second time in club history. At the break there was a jailing whistle concert. “We want to see you fight,” said the followers in the north curve. Whether Polanski is still an option for a permanent position – open. The chase spoke for his team and for him.
The Frankfurters, on the other hand, were back on track after two Bundesliga beams and settle in the upper third of the table. In front of 54,042 spectators in the sold-out Borussia Park, Robin Koch (11/47.), Ansgar Knauff (15th), Jonathan Burkhardt (35th), Fares Chaibi (39.) and Can Uzun (45.+2) scored the goals for the Hesse. Jens Castrop (72nd), Haris Tabakovic (78th) and Yannik Engelhardt (83.) and Grant-Leon Ranos (90.+9) met for the hosts.
“It was simply nothing of everything. We didn’t get anything on the pitch at all. I am extremely served and eaten,” said Borussia captain Rocco Reitz at Sky: “Everyone has to look for the mistake with themselves. From minute one to 47 it was catastrophic.” Both Reitz and Haris Tabakovic protected the coach after the game. “The trainer prepared us well and worked very passionately, but in the end we players have to tear it on the pitch,” said Tabakovic. Polanski gets another chance in the home game against SC Freiburg, as sports managing director Roland Virkus confirmed.
Three days before the Champions League excursion to Atlético Madrid, Eintracht coach Dino Toppmöller had brought back experience in the team. The recently battered Ellyes Skhiri should provide stability in the defensive midfield and provide further protection before the last susceptible four-man defense chain.
The Gladbacher rose with the starting eleven from 1-1 in Leverkusen. Polanski had few reasons to change the formation and had his team defended again in the new chain of three. Tabakovic also stayed on the bench as a joker.
But the game started extremely unhappily for the young Gladbach Bundesliga coach. Only after a corner of Chaibi, Koch succeeded 1-0 for the guests. Borussia’s midfielder Yannik Engelhardt did not look good with the scorer in the header duel.
Four minutes later, Knauff used a direct acceptance after a crashed shot from Ritsu Doan to 2-0. With this, the guests had set a sign and were able to raise their fine combination game to their heart’s content. Even before the break, the Frankfurters could switch and act as they wanted and increased through Burkhardt, Chaibi and Uzun to 5: 0.
The Gladbach fans were served and organized a loud whistle concert. Polanski reacted immediately and brought two new offensive players in Florian Neuhaus and Tabakovic for Kevin Stöger and Fabio Chiarodia.
But as soon as Borussia’s coach was sitting on the bench, the next goal from Koch fell to 6-0. The Gladbacher experienced a similar debacle almost four years ago in the 0: 6 home defeat against SC Freiburg. In the final phase, however, the Gladbacher came to goal opportunities and four goals through Castrop, Tabakovic, Engelhardt and Ranos.
