Football Season Guide

It was another disappointing season for Gladbach last time out as they flirted with relegation before eventually finishing 12th. Head coach Polanski somewhat steadied the ship after Seoane was sacked, but they never looked particularly comfortable throughout. Polanski will want to prove himself as the right man for the job and with 10 new signings in the summer, the club have backed him to do so. Defensive leader Elvedi has moved on but the club have brought back Ko Itakura just a year after he left to join Ajax, the Japanese centre-back was a solid performer previously. The right-back position has been strengthened. Konoplya is expected to bring stamina and strong attacking support while Hashioka provides solid competition. Left-back Herold, central midfielder Leopold, and striker Lidberg were all top performers for their Liga 2 clubs last season and are expected to have enough to deliver at this level. Gladbach have also added more energy and steel to the midfield with the addition of ball-winning midfielder Zento Uno, although he may need time to settle after playing in Japan previously. Despite the loss of playmaker Reitz to Leipzig, Gladbach should have enough quality in the squad to be competitive. A change to a more attacking style is also expected so if Kleindienst, Hack, and young talent Mohya can all stay fit they should be dangerous. Due to the many changes in the squad, it could take a while for them to click, and if they are to be braver going forward, this could lead to defensive vulnerability.