FSV Mainz deepens Borussia Mönchengladbach crisis in Serie

Without a head coach and still on zero points, Borussia Mönchengladbach fell to the bottom of the Serie after a 3‑4 defeat to FSV Mainz 05, marking the club’s worst start in history just six days after the dismissal of Eugen Polanski.

Phillip Tietz opened the scoring in the 18th minute, followed by Sheraldo Becker’s extra‑time strike at 45+1, Eric Martel’s header in the 78th and Danny da Costa’s finish in the 89th, delivering the next K.o. for the Gladbach side.

Interim coach Jan-Moritz Lichte’s brief tenure

Jan-Moritz Lichte, the former Mainz midfielder, took charge on an interim basis, having guided Mainz in twelve league games at the end of 2020 with only one victory. His appointment was intended to stabilise a side that entered the match with Kein Cheftrainer and a fragile defence.

Defensive frailties were exposed throughout, with Kevin Diks missing a hand‑ball penalty at 57 minutes and the opposition exploiting space for a second penalty in the second half. The home side also suffered a hand‑ball penalty at 90+5, highlighting the persistent issues at the back.

Sport director Rouven Schröder searches for a saviour

Sport director Rouven Schröder admitted the urgency of finding a new leader before the derby against 1. FC Köln on 11 October, stating, "Wir haben mittlerweile einen klaren Favoriten" while ruling out Horst Steffen and Christian Titz as candidates.

Fifty thousand spectators witnessed a Fohlenelf that tried to prioritise safety and error avoidance, yet the lack of goals from Florian Neuhaus, Isac Lidberg and Shuto Machino could not compensate for the glaring defensive shortcomings.

The match also saw Neuhaus score his first goal since Mai 2024, only for the opposition to respond swiftly, underlining the thin margin between hope and disappointment for the Gladbach faithful.