Football: Winless Gladbach brace for Bayern test amid crisis and change in Bundesliga

Berlin (Germany), Oct 24 (IANS) Borussia Monchengladbach will try to summon resilience and unity against Bayern Munich on Saturday, a lopsided matchup between a struggling club at the foot of the Bundesliga table and the reigning powerhouse.

After seven winless games, Gladbach remain the only team yet to taste victory this season. The club's long list of issues include defensive frailty, injuries to forwards Tim Kleindienst and Robin Hack, and growing fears of relegation.

What was once a fierce rivalry in the 1970s and '80s has become a mismatch. Bayern enter in rampant form, while Gladbach are without a permanent coach and still reeling from the recent exits of coach Gerardo Seoane and sporting director Roland Virkus.

Interim coach Eugen Polanski, promoted from the under-23 side, urged his players to show fight. "Take up the tackles, run without limits, and meet the basic demands of football," the 39-year-old said ahead of the 115th meeting between the two clubs.

New sporting director Rouven Schroder has moved into the club hotel and is shadowing the team at meals and training sessions as he prepares for a likely winter transfer overhaul. "I'm still in a supporting role, learning about the atmosphere," he said. "But we need to be ready to act in the break. The team knows what's at stake."

Gladbach have not won in 14 league matches, a new club record, and sit at the bottom of the standings. Still, fans have continued to rally behind the team, with Polanski insisting the players' attitude gives him hope. "Bayern doesn't do anything out of the ordinary," he said. "They just do everything perfectly."

Earlier, Bayern Munich confirmed the contract extension of head coach Vincent Kompany, securing his services until June 2029. The announcement comes after the club's 2-1 victory over Borussia Dortmund in "Der Klassiker" and just one day before its UEFA Champions League encounter with Club Brugge on Tuesday.

The 39-year-old Belgian, who joined Bayern in the summer of 2024 after leaving English side Burnley, has enjoyed a remarkable start to life in Munich.

In his first season, he guided the Bavarians back to Bundesliga glory, reclaiming the title from Bayer Leverkusen and adding the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup earlier this year. His leadership has since driven Bayern to its best-ever start to a season, winning all twelve of its competitive fixtures so far and setting a new club record.

--IANS

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