Alexander Blessin's first match in charge of Borussia Mönchengladbach ended in disappointment, as his side fell 2-1 to arch-rivals Köln in a tense Rhine derby, leaving the club rooted at the bottom of the Bundesliga table without a single point after five rounds.
Blessin had barely had time to work with his new squad before facing Köln, having taken over following the exits of Eugen Polanski and interim boss Jan-Moritz Lichte. Several important players were missing, with Franck Honorat, Tim Kleindienst and Ko Itakura all sidelined through injury, limiting his options as he tried to instill his defensive principles — the same approach that made his previous club, St Pauli, a surprisingly tough side to break down despite a limited budget.
The match was settled by a moment of quality from each side. Isak Johannesson produced a stunning strike for Köln, while Saïd El Mala supplied what proved to be the decisive goal, cutting in from the left flank before curling a right-footed effort beyond goalkeeper Moritz Nicolas and into the far corner — a finish that has become something of a signature move for the young forward.
El Mala's importance to Köln has grown substantially since a proposed summer transfer to Borussia Dortmund collapsed. He has since signed a new contract and become the first player to wear the club's famous No. 10 shirt since Lukas Podolski, while also earning his first cap for Germany. The goal against Gladbach was his first since the opening weekend of the season.
"I've never been so fired up for a game," El Mala said afterward. Reflecting on a difficult stretch of form, he added: "I've had a bit of a rough patch these past few weeks. What sets me apart is that I don't give up and I keep going."
Köln were not without their own problems during the contest. Midfielder Ellyes Skhiri had to be stretchered off in the first half, while the club's goat mascot, Hennes IX, was unable to attend due to a bird flu outbreak that forced its quarantine at the city zoo. Köln were also missing injured forwards Ragnar Ache and Thijs Dallinga, whose presence might have given the home side a more comfortable margin of victory.
For Gladbach, the defeat compounds an already troubled start to the season. Sitting at the bottom of the table with a goal difference of -11, the club continues to feel the effects of losing key players in recent seasons, including Marcus Thuram, Jonas Hofmann and Rocco Reitz. Blessin now faces the daunting task of rebuilding a squad that lacks the kind of standout talent Köln found in El Mala, with limited resources at his disposal.
Elsewhere in the Bundesliga, Freiburg maintained their position at the top of the table despite playing much of the second half away to Schalke with ten men, winning 2-1 thanks to a late header from Kaisuke Goto. Borussia Dortmund surrendered a 2-0 lead against Werder Bremen, with former striker Niclas Füllkrug scoring a stoppage-time equalizer in a 2-2 draw. Bayern Munich were held to a 2-2 draw at Augsburg after conceding the fastest goal in Bundesliga history, scored in just 8.4 seconds by Robin Fellhauer. RB Leipzig thrashed Eintracht Frankfurt 6-0, with Christopher Nkunku scoring a first-half hat-trick, while Bayer Leverkusen edged past Mainz 4-3 in an eventful encounter at the Opel Arena.
Gladbach will next face Hoffenheim, who themselves have struggled in recent weeks, in what is quickly becoming a crucial fixture for both sides as the early-season table begins to take shape.
Based on reporting from The Guardian.