Borussia Mönchengladbach parted ways with head coach Eugen Polanski on Sunday following a 5-0 away defeat against SC Freiburg. The heavy loss left the Bundesliga side sitting at the bottom of the league table in last place after three matches, having collected zero points while conceding 12 goals and scoring three.
Reports varied on the exact procedural details of the departure; the Rheinische Post reported that Polanski tendered his resignation, while Sky reported that the initiative originated entirely from club leadership.
As part of the coaching staff change, assistant coach Tobias Trulsen was also relieved of his duties. The swift separation marks the first managerial departure of the current Bundesliga season, a situation that carries strong echoes of events from twelve months earlier.
Sporting Leadership Explains the Dismissal
On Sunday, sporting director Rouven Schröder talked about the departure and directly highlighted the squad’s disappointing start in official matches. “Despite a good pre-season and positive signs, the team has not succeeded in achieving the desired results in the Bundesliga.”
Schröder avoided giving Polanski a vote of confidence during his post-match interviews in Freiburg, mentioning the compressed timetable prior to the upcoming league break. “You only have one game left, then you have a three-week international break. And you do not want to go into the international break with zero points,” Schröder added.
Reflecting on his departure, Polanski expressed regret over the outcome in an official statement released by the club. “We had set ourselves ambitious goals, but we were not able to implement them. That hurts. I hope very much that Borussia turns things around quickly. I wish the club, the team and all the wonderful fans only the best,” Polanski said.
Parallels to 2025 and Interim Management
The dismissal mirrors the club’s timeline from September 2025, when Gladbach dismissed Swiss coach Gerardo Seoane after matchday three. At that time, the club placed Polanski in interim charge before eventually extending his contract in November 2025 through June 2028. Having graduated from Gladbach’s youth academy as a player and made his initial senior Bundesliga appearance in 2005, Polanski accumulated 108 games along the touchline across his various managerial periods with the club. He previously guided the team to a 12th-place league finish at the end of the 2025–2026 campaign.
FSV Mainz 05. Having previously worked as head coach of Mainz 05 from September to December 2020, the 46-year-old manager arrived at Mönchengladbach during the summer straight from Manchester City’s youth setup.
What Comes Next for Gladbach
The interim appointment gives club management time to conduct a search for a permanent successor.
Club officials plan to appoint a permanent manager right when the three-week international break begins, immediately following the match against Mainz 05. We invite readers to share their thoughts on the coaching change in the comments below.
