Bundesliga 2026/27 Tactical Previews | VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach

Bundesliga 2026/27 Tactical Previews | VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach Our Get German Football News 2026/27 Bundesliga tactical previews series rolls on with a look at – thanks to Wolfsburg’s relegation – the only “Verein für Leibesübungen” left in the German top flight. We check in with Borussia Mönchengladbach much earlier this season thanks in large part due to the fact that experienced BMG administrator Rouven Schröder wasted zero time in drawing up a 2026/27 roadmap for this club as soon as the previous campaign ended. A lovingly-crafted paean to Schröder shall come below. In this introductory section, we’ll keep the focus on more general topics. First up, we might as well re-visit Gladbach’s decision to slap corporate naming rights on their state-of-the-art park last autumn. Apologies to those looking for immediate squad analysis, but Germans have their own priorities when it comes to football discussions. Simply scrolling down also falls well within the inalienable rights of man. How controversial is it that BMG supporters must soon make their way to ista-Borussia-Park? Not very. A development like this certainly deserves a protest action or two, but that’s mostly because we German football lovers simply need to protest things. We’ll nevertheless refer to Gladbach – in honor of their new financial patronage – as the “Sub-metering Club” throughout the course of this analysis. They brought it on themselves. Just as previous subjects Union Berlin received a theme in their section , so too shall “the Niederrheiner”. It actually counts as mildly  humorous that one of the most consistently frustrating Bundesliga clubs in recent years paired up with the company that routinely leaves you cursing the fact that those extra blanket fees tacked onto the utility bill had absolutely nothing to do with you and left you with no one to complain to. Jim across the courtyard is the one who strung up those extra lights! Damn Jim! VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach Is this the season that Gladbach finally break out of their mid-table mediocrity? No, absolutely not. The paean to Schröder (which is still coming) notes that the relatively new chief personnel executive oversaw a much-needed housecleaning, but didn’t exactly upgrade the squad. Getting this team in European shape should require at least another year. Those English-speaking football fans (and the author knows dozens of them) tempted to make this their Bundesliga club based on the facts that the name is long, Prussian-influenced, interesting, and features an umlaut must consider themselves forewarned. Becoming a Gladbach fan can lead to plenty of suffering!! Major personnel shifts, Gladbach Estimated Summer Transfer Balance = +€11.75 million Schröder got things rolling nice and quick after last year’s Bundesliga drew to a close. As we arrive at the promised paean many readers may have thought the author already forgot about, the author would like to emphasize that the foals have a very effective administrator in charge. Those of us Bundesliga journalists who watched Schröder progress from Mainz, through Schalke, and finally the Red Bull system have little choice but to concede that he’s gotten better in each appointment. Schröder learned from his past mistakes at all those stations. He got the next phase of BMG development drawn up rapidly. What did Schröder actually achieve? The first order of business involved confirming Eugen Polanski’s place on the bench next season. This absolutely constitutes the right call. For all the slumps during Polanski’s tenure, the team proved they could adapt to Polanski’s tactics and perform well in spurts once they cobbled together some momentum. The late season wins against Dortmund and Hoffenheim last year also featured some of the edgier football everyone wishes to witness long term. Polanski – thrust into his first major coaching appointment entirely without warning – did well with the team. Polanski deserves more time. Period. Schröder made absolutely the right call in issuing Polanski a guarantee with some other tweaks, directives, and caveats. Polanski received some new assistant coaches. The return to a back-four was mandated by the front office. Some genuinely great 2. Bundesliga signings were snatched up before others could get to them. Schröder moved with the same brutal efficiency as your sub metering company when it comes time to tack on more nebulous and questionable fees. We can now talk about the specific moves all readers are damn sure the author has forgotten about. So many other Bundesliga clubs surely wish they had the likes of 2. Bundesliga up-and-comers David Herold (Karlsruhe, €4m value), Isac Lidberg (Darmstadt, €5m value) and Enzo Leopold (Hannover, €4m value). Schröder picked up two, maybe even three potential starters of a combined €13m estimated market value for only €6.5m. Leopold arrived on a free, as did promising players like Ukrainian right back Yukhym Konoplya and potential new first choice keeper (if Moritz Nicolas leaves) Daniel Batz. When Konoplya’s injury threatened to derail Schröder’s plans, the executive wasted no time securing the services of Slavia Prague’s Daiki Hashioka on loan. Schröder also brought in developmental prospects Zento Uno and Jan Leszczynski. The latter wasn’t cheap, but Schröder still hasn’t gone through half the summer transfer surplus generated in part by Rocco Reitz’s sale to RB Leipzig. Admittedly, this has much to do with the odd twist of someone willing to pay decent money for Giovanni Reyna. In any event, Schröder deserves plaudits. He underpaid for every new addition this summer, including rising Swedish winger Hugo Bolin. Well done from the man in charge of Germany’s “Sub-meter Team”! Notes from pre-season, Gladbach In Schröder’s own words, Polanski needed a full summer preparation campaign in order to adequately put his stamp on the team. Via a slate of decently scheduled friendlies, the BMG trainer was able to accomplish just that. The “Fohlenelf” head back to their regrettably corporate stamped arena with a clear tactical direction and a decent idea about what their brand of football is supposed to look like. The author should add that the Jens Castrop injury throws a wrench into these purported plans. Most interestingly, however, it might end up turning a projected 4-2-3-1 into a more attack minded 4-3-3. Sometimes bad circumstances can beget fortunate consequences. Hugo Bolin and Franck Honorat both bagged braces in the team’s 6-0 away win in scenic Wuppertal as the preseason got rolling. Wael Mohya assisted on both Bolin goals, both scored before the quarter-of-an-hour mark hit. The foals rapidly attained free rein in the city Germans typically reference when they need a generic no-name German footballing reference that no German not alive in the 1970s would be capable of grasping. After Wuppertal, it was off to Essen for a much more stringent test against RWE. This time, Bolin and Mohya scored again in a 2-1 away win. Seventeen-year-old BMG prospect Edin Biber also notched a tally. Unfortunately, it was into his own net. We got our first glimpse of Polanski’s mandated 4-2-3-1 in the second test fixture. It could best be described as clunky and awkward. Robin Hack wasn’t terribly well sorted in the ten-slot. Naturally, the injury to Yukhym Konoplya didn’t help. The fact that Tim Kleindienst wasn’t ready for much more than a half-hour of action also impeded Gladbach flow. Polanski flipped Hugo Bolin over to the No. 10 role against Rostock while Hack moved wide left and (among other changes) Florian Neuhaus rotated into the double six. Matters remained choppy until Polanski’s crew woke up for the second 45. Lukas Ullrich, Kevin Stöger, and Isac Lidberg all scored in a convincing 3-1 away win. The newly signed Hashioka also slotted in at center back and made a solid impression. Lessons to be gleaned from the 15-0 thrashing of FC Rottach-Egern at the official Tegernsee training camp, naturally, happen to be slim. It’s worth noting that Mohya grabbed another brace. So too did Kleindienst, young attacking prospect Iaia Manco Danfa, Shuto Machino, and the (injured) Jens Castrop. Zento Uno got a chance to open his (unofficial) Gladbach account. The 4-2-3-1, with Hashioka at his natural right back position, clicked easily. Obviously, a wholly non-competitive affair didn’t constitute much of a test for it. What happened next, by contrast, counted as more definitive proof that Polanski has the squad on the right track. In a development that left most German football lovers sporting face-splitting grins, Gladbach pummeled Hoffenheim in a 120-minute scrimmage. Prize new TSG signing Bambassa Conté opened up the scoring in the first 60-minute half, but the Fohlenelf punched back via their own marquee addition Lidberg in the second. After Robin Hack equalized, Lidberg capitalized on mistakes from TSG second-string defenders Arthur Chaves and Robin Hrnac to record two goals and one assist in the final 30 minutes. Gladbach took the Austrian training camp showdown 4-1. Yes, for those wondering, 120-minute scrimmages feature two hydration breaks. That technically means that they’re not real football. The latest tune-up against fifth-tier SSVg Velbert (completed today) is most noteworthy for the fact that Wael Mohya had to be subbed off injured. Apparently Gladbach’s injury list felt insufficiently populated. Robin Hack struck twice before the break. The floodgates properly opened in the second 45. Iaia Manco Danfa, Florian Neuhaus (twice), Elias Vali Fard, Shuto Machino, and Fritz Fleck completed an 8-0 rout. Machino and Neuhaus even took turns dancing through the Velbert defense on the latter’s first goal. Very pretty stuff that conveyed more relevant information than expected. Winners from camp, Gladbach Isac Lidberg, SS We’ll begin here by noting that neither Tim Kleindienst nor Robin Hack turned in particularly good camps. The fact that they weren’t exactly lumbering doofuses either still precludes them from being placed in the “losers” category. Both key offensive actors return from injury plagued seasons and Hack (see above) did make his presence felt. Practically all German footballing prognosticators will tell readers that Gladbach’s entire campaign hinges on whether or not Kleindienst and Hack can regain their form. This particular chronicler doesn’t quite share that sentiment. Reasons? It all begins with this half of the team’s “Swedish connection”. Introducing: Isac Lidberg! The 27-year-old – by his own admission – happens to be somewhat old to serve as a “Bundesliga rookie”. His 17 2. Bundesliga goals won’t be repeated. In point of fact, if all goes as hoped for with Kleindienst, Lidberg won’t see much action at all. A 4-4-2 with a short-striker supporting Kleindienst on the left slant isn’t out of the question, but Lidberg – for all the versatile aspects of his game – remains more of a target forward. Shuto Machino might be better suited for such a set up. A switch to a 3-5-2 would make room for him, but the quartet of new assistant coaches brought in to assist Polanski would surely kill him if he tried that. We still need to discuss Lidberg, the subject readers are now almost certain the author has forgotten about. The brace against Hoffenheim an encouraging mark. Lidberg splits defenses well and demonstrates great positional awareness. His first goal showed how quickly he can accelerate and showcased his fine finishing skills. The second goal was more of a poach, but one liked his positioning and composure on the finish. Perhaps he can rack up double digit goal totals off the bench. Bear in mind that absolutely no one saw Haris Tabakovic coming last season. Hugo Bolin, ATTM “Compliments to the scouting department” indeed. The other half of the squad’s “Swedish connection” probably needs to be starting over Hack on the left. Bolin may have had a little stutter step out of the gate during his initial loan spell last spring. That’s totally irrelevant now after the 23-year-old turned in a monster pre-season. Polanski actually tried out Bolin in a variety of roles along the second axis. Unlike many of his colleagues, the former Malmö man excelled everywhere. Polanski possesses an absolute weapon here who can be deployed left, right, and center. The now twice-capped international worked all along the second axis last season and claimed his first goal in Gladbach’s season finale. We tipped our cap to him in our GGFN Borussia Mönchengladbach relegation check feature and stand prepared to do so again many times this season. He’s quick. He’s creative. Okay, he’s also of slight stature. No matter. Pre-season proved that he can work as a goal scoring threat as well. If the author were coaching this team, or were one of the new coaches sent to keep an eye on Polanski, he would make sure he takes Hack’s slot. As it stands, it looks like Hack’s latest performance will place Bolin at ten. Wael Mohya, ATTM This should be the year in which the €17m-valued talent breaks through. Six starts on the back-end of last season – coupled with a fine pre-season during which he sliced, diced, and deked like a player with at least five more years of experience under his belt – may lead to him permanently displacing Franck Honorat. Schröder deliberately freshened up both fullback positions in an effort to speed up the attack. Now that Yukhym Konoplya is hurt, Honorat may be relegated to nothing more than transfer bait. Provided the latest injury isn’t serious! Enzo Leopold, DM Like Lidberg, the 26-year-old enters his “rookie” Bundesliga season at a relatively advanced age. Whether the former Hannover 96 captain can hold together a midfield in the German top flight remains to be seen. Castrop’s injury places Leopold under immense pressure. Together with former Holstein Kiel captain Philipp Sander, Leopold and his fellow former 2. Bundesliga skipper seem to know how to keep it together. How this makeshift epoxy pairing fares against better opposition shall really prove interesting. Sadly, Leopold will probably be the one sacrificed if Polanski switches to 4-1-4-1 or attack-oriented 4-3-3. Note that Stöger and Sander started ahead of Leopold in the most recent friendly. It’s by no means guaranteed that Leopold will start. Now, Florian Neuhaus’ brace makes matters more complicated. Daiki Hashioka, RB Daiki “Happy” Hashioka made an immediate impact as a central defender in the second half of the Rostock match, drawing specific praise from trainer Polanski. After picking up two assists in the Rottach-Egern bloodbath, tired legs caught up with his “cloud nine” mind. The 27-year-old noticeably got stuck on the ball a few times in subsequent friendlies and wasn’t particularly impressive in the first half of the most recent test. All of that still matters little due to the fact that Schröder’s “fullback refresher” effectively gifts him a starting slot entering the season. It would come as a huge shock to see Joe Scally receive another chance. Losers from camp, Gladbach Jens Castrop, CM Yeeouch. This constitutes quite the loss for both player and club. Castrop was supposed to serve as the centerpiece of Gladbach’s tactical rebuild. The 23-year-old’s long-term absence deprives the team of perhaps the biggest “X-factor” that would have helped them at least aspire to rise above the mediocre muck they usually produce. The author found himself even more frazzled when it came time to strike Castrop from his projected lineup. As noted above, this development could eventually lead to Polanski deploying a 4-3-3. One just doesn’t sense that the trainer’s handlers will permit him to do it right away. Yukhym Konoplya, RB Double Yeouch. What one saw of this red-headed rocket early on engendered plenty of optimism. While there remains no way of proving it, some of the 26-year-old’s early pre-season work strongly suggested he would make a fine Bundesliga rookie. For the time being, we’ll simply have to wait. Acclimating to the pace of this league shall prove more difficult without the softer onramp provided by summer training camp. The Ukrainian international’s ligament injury means he must instead bide his time. Joe Scally, RB Triple Yeeouch. The Hashioka signing counted as a real slap in the face. At present, there exist no reliable rumors linking the Long Island native with a specific departure club. One nonetheless acts on the assumption that Scally’s Bundesliga days are simply numbered. The fullback the author once watched and documented exhaustively every week in the old “Americans in the Bundesliga” column remains a solid right-rail presence. Scally hasn’t lost anything truly discernible in so far as form is concerned. It’s simply time for the 23-year-old and his club to both try something different. Lukas Ullrich, LB Just plain ouch. The German fullback who repeatedly found himself the butt of the “Featherweight Battle of the Century” joke FINALLY beat out Luca Netz for the starting position, then immediately lost his slot to a Bundesliga rookie one year his senior. Positional battles among players who likely won’t advance past the U21 level practically exemplify what it’s been like to cover this club over the years. One must watch a lot of bang average football and somehow find a way to bang out slightly above average stories. Sigh. Fabio Chiarodia, CB Speaking of which….never mind. Let’s just stop here. Much as the author might wish to tell readers more about BMG prospects such as Iaia Manco Danfa, Fritz Fleck, and Mathieu Nguefack, he just can’t do this anymore. For every success story (such as Rocco Reitz) that this club produces, there are loads of youngsters who matured about an inch or two every year while fighting injuries and form dips. At a certain point, we have to project this team’s lineup and explain why another year of well-intentioned moves isn’t going to work. Onward to the next section! Tactical scout, Gladbach The more Bundesliga-inclined readers will surely have heard the exit rumors surrounding keeper Moritz Nicolas and Nico Elvedi. The latest on both players, per Schröder himself, is that the Premier League clubs after them have lodged no formal offers. Nicolas and Elvedi remaining might as well be the most certain thing we can say about this squad at this point. Piecing it all together remains a speculative, if not somewhat sad, exercise. Matters could look significantly different with Castrop in the mix.  Lineup-BMG (PROJECTED) Does this look like anything other than a 9th-to-12th place finish to anyone? Naturally, nothing quite approaches the joy of being proven dead wrong. With the Niederrheiner, however, the author tires of being constantly affirmed year-after-year. Gladbach – much like certain Autobahn stretches around it – is a perpetual “Baustelle”: a project always on the cusp of being finished but never getting there. Schröder filled up some potholes and refurbished the outer lanes. Maybe said lanes will give us a few surprises.  Maybe, on the other hand, the wretched phenomenon known as “Gladbach Block” will return to this writer’s prefrontal cortex. Back in the days of the comprehensive “Tactics Talk” column, the author had to figure out something interesting to say about Gladbach every single week. It certainly wasn’t a coincidence that, whenever Gladbach popped up on the docket, it was time to take a very long walk. The trend began in the Adi Hütter campaign and continues through the present day.  That’s definitely something the author wishes he could forget about, or at least find some live person answering the phone over at the sub metering company to complain to. The new look “ista-foals” are perfectly serviceable, wonderfully adequate, sensationally credible, splendidly sufficient, and marvelously acceptable. Time for a brisk walk around the block! GGFN  |  Peter Weis