The defining topic of Saturday's football action was definitely the major crisis and nightmare start of Borussia Mönchengladbach, which was completed in brutal fashion this afternoon with a 0–5 thrashing in Breisgau.
So far, comparatively little has been said about the team that made the situation for Polanski's side even more dramatic today. Probably too little.
Because SC Freiburg currently find themselves at the opposite extreme. With three wins from three games, they sit top of the table and have enjoyed a perfect start to the new season.
The club has never before won each of its first three matches in a season.
The attack in particular has been highly impressive. In the team's six competitive matches so far this season, no fewer than eleven different players have already gotten on the scoresheet.

#start #breisgau

Three of the four teams that reached the third Bundesliga matchday with a 100% record were in action on Saturday morning (12).
And two of them picked up another win, continuing to share top spot in the league.
Borussia Dortmund beat newly promoted Paderborn, while Freiburg thrashed Borussia Mönchengladbach.
The exception was Augsburg, who started the day in first place but conceded a late equalizer to Bayer Leverkusen.
Elversberg could also end the round with nine points from three matches, as they face Bayern Munich this Sunday (13).

#saturday

Freiburg were firmly in control at the break against Borussia Mönchengladbach after first-half goals from Yannik Engelhardt and Igor Matanovic.
Matanovic caused Gladbach problems almost immediately, dispossessing Ko Itakura, before having an opportunity to release Yuito Suzuki inside the opening minutes, only to struggle to get the ball out of his feet.
The breakthrough eventually arrived in the 23rd minute, when Derry Scherhant's corner found Engelhardt, whose looping header caught Moritz Nicolas in no man's land and dropped into the net.
Six minutes later, Freiburg doubled their advantage, with Matthias Ginter firing a sharp pass towards Matanovic on the edge of the penalty area and, with plenty of pace already on the ball, the striker simply guided it beyond Nicolas and in off the post.
At that point, Gladbach were in danger of being overwhelmed as Freiburg threatened to turn an already commanding first half into a rout.

#freiburg #engelhardt #nicolas

Freiburg have made an impressive start to the new campaign with two wins from two, while Saturday's opponents Borussia Mönchengladbach are still searching for their first points.
However, boss Julian Schuster believes his side's experiences last season warn that difficult periods can quickly become sources of motivation.
"It was quite simple," he told DAZN before the match, when asked how he ensures full effort against out-of-form opposition.
"We just had to remind ourselves of the difficult periods we had last year.
"In football and sport, just as in private life, these situations are always an opportunity to grow and for something new to emerge.

#difficult #periods

As confirmed by the club on Friday, head coach Vincent Wagner will be in charge of the Elversberg team on Sunday.
His red card suspension he received midway through their 4-3 victory over Borussia Mönchengladbach has been lifted.
The DFB sports court, during its oral hearing in Frankfurt on Friday, concluded that there had been a misinterpretation of the situation.
Said misinterpreted incident last Saturday led to the sending-off. Based on this error, the suspension decision was reversed.
As a result, Wagner will be in charge from the dugout as the Saarland club faces another big challenge in the form of FC Bayern Munich.

#sunday #borussia

The two top matches follow at 6:30 p.m. against Eintracht Frankfurt (24 October) and away to Bayern Munich (31 October).
Before and after the November international break, BVB will again be in action at the traditional kick-off time of 3:30 p.m.: first at home against Elversberg (7 November), then away at Borussia Mönchengladbach (21 November). At the end of November, BVB and Bayer Leverkusen will round off Matchday 11 of the Bundesliga on Sunday evening (29 November) at 7:30 p.m.
The next date in the DFB-Pokal has also been confirmed: Earlier today, Thursday, the DFB announced the match dates for the second round proper. Borussia Dortmund will face Werder Bremen at SIGNAL IDUNA PARK on 27 October at 8:45 p.m.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

#october #round #munich

Elversberg coach Vincent Wagner was handed a one-game suspension after the German Football Federation (DFB) denied the club's appeal.
The DFB announced the decision in a statement on Monday evening and said that another appeal has already been filed against the ruling.
Wagner won't be allowed to be on the bench with his players in the Bundesliga match against Bayern Munich on Sunday and will have to watch it from the stands.
The coach was suspended after he received a red card during the 4-3 win against Borussia Mönchengladbach last Saturday for unsportsmanlike conduct.
The decision was controversial because Wagner did not attack referee Martin Petersen neither physically nor verbally.

#wagner #coach #Football #federation

Elversberg have two wins from two as they enjoy a dream start to their maiden Bundesliga campaign, but they will be without head coach Vincent Wagner for their Matchday 3 clash against reigning champions Bayern Munich after the DFB rejected the club's appeal following his sending off against Borussia Mönchengladbach.
A statement from the DFB read: "In its ruling, the DFB sports court stated that, according to the referee, coach Wagner had approached him from a considerable distance, even though the fourth official had previously instructed him to stop. Wagner intended to complain to the referee and confront him. This account, the sports court stated, is corroborated by the available television footage. Therefore, the sending off was a factual decision by the referee, which is generally binding on the sports court."
Additionally, the sports court found "no evidence of an obvious error by the referee". Therefore, as reported by Kicker, Wagner will only be able to watch the game from the stands.
Wagner's sending off for a second bookable offence came with two yellow cards in quick succession. The first, triggered by Hugo Bolin's goal that put Gladbach 2-1 ahead. Wagner's argument that Tim Kleindienst had put the ball out for a throw-in, which initiated the counter-attack leading up to the goal, and thus a throw-in should have been awarded to Elversberg instead. Then, Wagner attempted to speak to referee Petersen after he blew the half-time whistle but, already on a yellow for the previous complaint, was subsequently shown a second yellow card.
GGFN | Daniel Pinder

#court #coach

Small-town club Elversberg continued a dream start to its first-ever Bundesliga season with another upset win, beating Borussia Moenchengladbach 4-3 with a stoppage-time winner on Saturday.
In Spain, Athletic Bilbao struck three times in the second half to beat Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid 3-0, while Erling Haaland led Manchester City to another victory in the Premier League.
From a town of just 13,000 people, Elversberg stunned another former champion after its win over Bayer Leverkusen last week.
This time, Elversberg did it without coach Vincent Wagner, who was sent off at halftime, only for Maurice Krattenmacher to score the dramatic late winner.
Wagner will miss hosting champion Bayern Munich next week.

#week #small

Elversberg will hope to live up to last week's standard as they travel to Borussia Mönchengladbach in the second matchday of the Bundesliga.
Eugen Polanski's side went 3-0 behind RB Leipzig when their ex-captain Rocco Reitz scored for the hosts last weekend. The former Bundesliga midfielder was hired by the club after a poor start to the season last term by Gerardo Seoane.
The 40-year-old is now a permanent coach at Borussia-Park, but there would be no guarantee to avoid a similar fate if things don't improve quickly. However, the injury crisis at the club could be one stumbling block to that challenge.
Team News
Enzo Leopold is the latest to be ruled out for a lengthy spell on the sidelines. Fellow new signing Daiki Hashioka will also be absent for this one after his Bundesliga debut in Leipzig ended with injury.

#club #eugen

Enzo Leopold is expected to be sidelined for several months after suffering an injury in training.
According to Bild, the Borussia Mönchengladbach midfielder is believed to have torn his ACL.
If the diagnosis is confirmed, Leopold will not be able to play again until 2027.
The central midfielder only joined Die Fohlen on a free transfer from Hannover 96 this summer.
He has made one appearance for Gladbach so far this season, playing 20 minutes.

#fohlen

Borussia Mönchengladbach newcomer Daiki Hashioka has avoided serious injury to his cervical spine and has shown no signs of neurological impairment after a head collision, the Bundesliga club said in a statement on Sunday.
Hashioka took a blow to the neck and head in a collision with Antonio Nusa during the 3-0 defeat at RB Leipzig in their league opener on Saturday, and was carried off on a stretcher.
The **** an defender was taken to hospital, where initial examinations ruled out bad news, the club said.
Hashioka returned to Mönchengladbach from hospital on Sunday and will undergo further checks over the coming week, the team added.

#sunday #nchengladbach #collision #daiki

6:30 PM - Atlético-MG vs Vitória: Premiere
8 PM - São Paulo vs RB Bragantino: SporTV and Premiere
9:20 PM - Vasco vs Cruzeiro: Record, Premiere and CazéTV
6:30 PM - Botafogo-SP vs Cuiabá: ESPN and Disney+
10:30 AM - RB Leipzig vs Borussia Mönchengladbach: Bundesliga via OneFootball, XSports, SporTV and GOAT

#premiere #botafogo

All in all, Borussia Dortmund have played 59 Bundesliga season openers to date. Their record is slightly positive, with 24 wins, 13 draws and 22 defeats. What stands out in particular is the poor record from the early years: in their first nine Bundesliga seasons, BVB won only one opener. In more recent years, however, the Black and Yellows have developed into opening-day specialists: from 2015/16 to 2024/25, BVB won on ten consecutive opening matchdays.
Only in 2017/18 did the Black and Yellows have to play away from home on the opening matchday – winning 3-0 at VfL Wolfsburg. The other nine opening wins all came at their own stadium.
2015/16: 4-0 against Borussia Mönchengladbach
2016/17: 2-1 against 1. FSV Mainz 05
2017/18: 3-0 at VfL Wolfsburg

#yellows #wolfsburg #only

RB Leipzig will get their 2026/27 Bundesliga campaign underway at home against Borussia Mönchengladbach on Saturday (15:30 CEST). Not only will it be head coach Martín Demichelis' touchline debut in the Bundesliga, but the afternoon could also feature newly-returned striker Christopher Nkunku's first appearance in three years for RB Leipzig.
What insights does Micho have into our upcoming opponents? Which players are available? Read on for all the key quotes from today's pre-match press conference.
Team news
"I'm looking forward to the first matchday. It's not often the case that an Argentine is set to head into a Bundesliga season as head coach. I will try to enjoy it, but the three points are the most important thing. The team have worked hard for seven long weeks and have improved week by week. We're ready."
"Gladbach have made a major change compared to last season: they now play one-on-one against the ball across the entire pitch. Bayern München defend that was too, as do PSG, which is why many head coaches are now adopting this approach. That wasn't the case before. We will need to be prepared for that, as it means that our opposition will close us down immediately and will press us hard. We need to make good decisions and find ******* e. We've shown the players that and we've worked on it in training."

#leipzig #we 've #three

Borussia Mönchengladbach are heading into the 2026/27 Bundesliga season with renewed optimism. After finishing 12th last season, the club decided to stick with headcoach Eugen Polanski, despite some supporters calling for a change in the dugout.
The decision could prove to be a smart one. Gladbach have enjoyed an outstanding pre-season, strengthened their squad with an interesting group of young players and are set to welcome back one of their most important players in Tim Kleindienst.
There are still major questions to answer, particularly following the departure of former captain Rocco Reitz. But the Foals appear to have taken a step in the right direction.
If results are anything to go by, Gladbach have had one of the most impressive pre-seasons of any Bundesliga club.
The Foals won all eight of their pre-season matches, scoring an incredible 45 goals while conceding just seven.

#bundesliga #players

Aston Villa travel to the American Express Stadium on Sunday afternoon to open their Premier League campaign against Brighton & Hove Albion.
Unai Emery's side finished fourth and won the Europa League last season, but a summer of major departures and a troubled pre-season — five defeats in seven matches, including the UEFA Super Cup final loss to PSG — has left question marks over how quickly the new-look squad can find its feet.
Amadou Onana remains a long-term absentee, ruled out until at least the spring after a serious knee injury sustained while representing Belgium at the World Cup. Johan Manzambi, signed this summer, is still yet to make a competitive appearance for the club because of a knee issue picked up at the same tournament, though he may have a chance of returning before the September international break.
João Gomes, another summer arrival, sustained a calf injury in the Super Cup final and is targeting a return around 5 September against Hull City. Brian Madjo, the 17-year-old who impressed against PSG before being forced off with his own injury, is unlikely to be available before September. Leon Bailey is also out with a muscle problem.
Tammy Abraham was withdrawn after slipping awkwardly against Borussia Mönchengladbach last weekend and there has been no official update on his condition since. Alejandro Garnacho has not featured since sustaining a facial injury in a friendly on 5 August and his clearance through concussion protocols remains uncertain, though a place on the bench has not been ruled out.

#september #summer

After a productive pre-season schedule drew to a close, Leeds United finally begin the 2026/27 Premier League campaign with a trip to face Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon.
Last term, the Whites impressed on the return to the top-flight with an outstanding 47 points haul, finishing in 14th place and reaching the Emirates FA Cup semi-finals!
Across the summer, it has been all systems go behind the scenes with United securing the signatures of four very exciting new additions, beginning with Wales international Harry Wilson who joins the club after a stellar season last time out with Fulham that saw him crowned Player of the Year at Craven Cottage.
Then, commanding central defender Tarik Muharemović arrived from Sassuolo before England international James Trafford made the switch on a club-record deal from Manchester City. Further experience was added at the back through Borussia Mönchengladbach's Nico Elvedi.
After an enjoyable tour of the US, Daniel Farke's side have beaten Bundesliga outfits RB Leipzig and FC Augsburg at Elland Road, as well as drawing with rivals Manchester United at Dublin's Croke Park.

#united #manchester #last #leeds

Borussia Mönchengladbach have officially confirmed the return of ****** anese international Ko Itakura from Ajax. The 29-year-old centre-back signs a contract through 2030 after spending just one season in Amsterdam. Kicker reports that Gladbach will pay an initial €3.5m, with bonuses potentially taking the deal to €4m. Ajax paid Gladbach a base fee of €10.5m for Itakura only last summer.
Itakura made 80 competitive appearances and scored seven goals during his first three-year spell at Borussia-Park. The versatile defender established himself as a regular in central defense and also occasionally featured in defensive midfield. His single season at Ajax proved less successful. Kicker credits Itakura with 24 competitive appearances and one goal before the ****** anese international opted to return to familiar surroundings.
The timing of the transfer is hardly coincidental. Gladbach moved quickly after Nico Elvedi completed his €10m transfer to Leeds United, leaving an immediate vacancy alongside Kevin Diks in central defense.
GGFN's 2026/27 Borussia Mönchengladbach tactical preview had projected Elvedi and Diks as the first-choice pairing while noting the uncertainty surrounding the Swiss defender's future. Itakura can now step directly into the position vacated by his former defensive partner.
"We are very pleased that we have been able to sign a player who, in terms of quality and experience, corresponds exactly to the profile we were looking for following Nico Elvedi's departure," Schröder said.

#gladbach #elvedi #diks

Just a year after leaving Borussia Mönchengladbach to join Ajax for a reported €10.5 million, Ko Itakura is back at Borussia-Park.
Die Fohlen confirmed the return of the 29-year-old centre-back on a contract until 2030 on Thursday.
"We were already considering bringing Ko Itakura back to Borussia over the winter. What sounded like a bold plan at the time has since become reality," said Gladbach head of sports Rouven Schröder.
Itakura arrives as a replacement for Nico Elvedi, who recently left the club to join Leeds United.
"We are delighted to have signed a player that brings exactly the experience and quality that we were looking for following Nico Elvedi's departure. The fact that we found all that in someone who is already familiar with the club and will need hardly any time to settle in, in addition to being really keen on coming back, just rounds everything off," said Schröder.

#itakura #club

Borussia Mönchengladbach have reached an agreement to re-sign Ko Itakura from Ajax, according to Sky Germany.
The German broadcaster reports that the two clubs have agreed on a transfer fee that could rise to €4 million including bonuses, with the deal also including a sell-on clause for the Dutch side.
A medical has reportedly been scheduled for Wednesday, with Itakura thus on the brink of returning to the club he represented between 2022 and 2025.
Ajax paid a reported €10.5 million to sign the **** an international just a year ago.
He's in line to fill the void left by Nico Elvedi, who is set to join Leeds United.

#itakura #borussia

MONCHENGLADBACH, GERMANY - AUGUST 15: Coach Unai Emery of Aston Villa during the Club Friendly match between Borussia Monchengladbach v Aston Villa at the Borussia Park on August 15, 2026 in Monchengladbach Germany (Photo by Joris Verwijst/Soccrates/Getty Images)
Since Unai Emery's appointment as Aston Villa manager in October 2022, only **** nal and Manchester City have won more points in the Premier League than the Spaniard's team. While Emery took over a side that was fighting the threat of relegation at the time, Villa is now considered one of English soccer's strongest outfits.
This summer, however, has been one of fundamental change at Villa Park. Youri Tielemans left to join Manchester United with Chelsea moving to land Morgan Rogers for a fee of $157m, making the attacking midfielder the most expensive English player in Premier League history.
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 15: Morgan Rogers of Chelsea during the pre-season friendly match between Chelsea and Real Sociedad at Stamford Bridge on August 15, 2026 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)
Lucas Digne left to sign for Paris Saint-Germain with Emi Martinez and Ollie Watkins potentially on their way out of Villa Park as well. This summer has been Aston Villa's most challenging in the four years since Emery took over. The club's squad now is very different to the one that finished the 2025/26 season.

#villa #aston #emery #Chelsea

Nico Elvedi's proposed move from Borussia Mönchengladbach to Leeds United is on the verge of completion.
After Elvedi agreed personal terms with Leeds, Sky Germany reported on Sunday that the two clubs had agreed a transfer fee of €10 million, plus a 15 per cent sell-on clause for the German side.
The German broadcaster now reports that Elvedi is in England, where he is currently undergoing his medical ahead of the move.
If all goes according to plan, the Switzerland international will be announced as a new Leeds player shortly.
Elvedi, 29, has spent the last 11 years at Borussia-Park.

#elvedi #move #agreed #germany

Borussia Mönchengladbach defender Nico Elvedi is set to join Leeds United, media reports in Germany and England said on Sunday.
The Switzerland centre back is due in Leeds on Monday for a medical and would become the Premier League side's fourth signing in the close season following Harry Wilson, Tarik Muharemovic and James Trafford.
Leeds' Belgian defender Sebastiaan Bornauw could make way by heading to Hamburg on loan, the UK's Press ****** ociation reported.
Elvedi worked with Leeds coach Daniel Farke while he was Gladbach boss in 2022-23.

#elvedi #borussia #united #sunday

Leeds United have agreed an £8.5m deal to sign Swiss defender Nico Elvedi.
The 29-year-old is travelling to England for a medical on Monday after Borussia Monchengladbach accepted an offer worth an initial £6.8m, with a further £1.7m in add-ons.
The versatile Switzerland international is set to end his 11-year stay with the German top-flight club by moving to Elland Road.
Elvedi is a highly experienced addition, having earned 73 caps for his country and featured as part of Switzerland's squad at this summer's World Cup.
Asked about the deal after a 4-0 pre-season win over Augsburg, Leeds manager Daniel Farke said: "I've been working in football long enough to know everything is only final once the medical checks are completed and all the paperwork is signed. We've seen situations like this before.

#medical #united #swiss #nico

Sebastiaan Bornauw has agreed to return to the Bundesliga by agreeing to join Hamburg on loan, according to Sky Germany. An agreement has been reached between Leeds United and HSV for the move with an option to buy reportedly worth €4-5m, with a medical scheduled for Monday.
The 27-year-old center back spent the 2025/26 season in the Premier League where he made 12 appearances for Leeds. Before that he had a four-year stint at Wolfsburg where he showed his best qualities and managed to attract plenty of attention. This move sees him get back to a familiar environment in the Bundesliga where he has also played for Cologne.
The Belgian defender has represented his country at all youth levels, while making four appearances for the senior side with his last call up coming back in 2023.
Having signed Swiss center back Nico Elvedi from Borussia Mönchengladbach, Leeds have decided to allow Bornauw to join Hamburg.
GGFN | Brook Genene

#leeds

On Saturday, Rocco Reitz was rewarded for his hard work in pre-season. In the 58th minute of the Telekom-Cup, our summer signing was brought on for Nicolas Seiwald and played his first half an hour in an RBL jersey.
Rocco's debut was a highlight of the match which ultimately ended in a 3-1 defeat for the Red Bulls. "I was really happy to be back on the pitch and doing what I love," said the 24-year-old after the final whistle in an interview with MagentaTV.
The midfielder who joined Leipzig from Borussia Mönchengladbach had a delayed start to his first pre-season at RBL due to an illness. In the past few weeks, he's been gradually making up ground. His cameo against Bayern was his first real test. "The half an hour was quite a challenge, it went back and forth a lot," explained Rocco, before adding, "It's always good to go toe-to-toe with the best in the business."
Our number 20 has seen a lot of progress with a week to go before the start of the season, but also recognised that there is room for improvement. "We did a lot of things better compared to the previous friendlies. We were calm in possession and our gegenpressing was a bit better. There are still a couple of areas where we can improve, like our decision making among other things. But we're on the right track."
This Saturday, the first competitive fixture of the new season is on the agenda for Leipzig. At 18:00 CEST, RBL will travel to take on Regionalliga outfit Eintracht Trier in the first round of the DFB-Pokal. Unlike the match on Saturday, the Red Bulls are heading into the cup clash as clear favourites. Rocco called for "grit" in the match and stressed that, "We're the better side and have to make that clear in the game."

#match #we 're

A move back to Germany looks to be on the cards for former VfL Wolfsburg and 1. FC Köln centre-back Sebastiaan Bornauw.
According to Sky Germany, Hamburger SV are in advanced talks with Leeds United over a deal to sign the 27-year-old defender.
The Bundesliga outfit are hoping to bring Bornauw in on loan with an option to buy.
With Leeds having agreed a deal to sign another centre-back in Nico Elvedi from Borussia Mönchengladbach, the path is now clear for Bornauw to make the switch to HSV.
Leeds reportedly paid €6 million to sign Bornauw from VfL Wolfsburg in the summer of 2025. The Belgian defender made 17 appearances in his first season with the English club.

#defender

Nico Elvedi's move from Borussia Mönchengladbach to Leeds United is drawing ever closer to completion.
Having already reached a personal agreement on a contract until 2029 an agreement has now also been reached between the clubs too.
According to Sky Germany's sources, Gladbach and Leeds have agreed on a transfer fee of €10million plus a 15 percent sell-on clause.
Elvedi's contract with the Foals is set to expire next summer and was absent from the squad for today's friendly match against Aston Villa.
Speaking to Sport1 ahead of the game, Gladbach coach Eugen Polanski explained he was "given permission to hold talks with a club."

#united #foals

Leeds United are advancing in their pursuit of Nico Elvedi, with personal terms now reportedly agreed between the player and the Yorkshire club ahead of a potential move from Borussia Monchengladbach. As first reported by Florian Plettenberg, the proposed contract would run until 2029, with Leeds now expected to step up club-to-club negotiations.
This is shaping up to be another significant move in a summer that already carries real weight at Elland Road. Leeds have approached this window with purpose after securing Premier League survival last season, finishing 14th, and there is a clear sense that Daniel Farke wants to push the squad beyond simply staying up. Recruitment has reflected that ambition, with Harry Wilson arriving on a free transfer, Tarik Muharemovic joining for £34m and James Trafford signing from Manchester City for a club-record £40m.
Elvedi looks like a natural fit for where Leeds are heading. The 29-year-old brings experience, reliability and a level of tactical understanding that matters when a side is trying to become more stable in the Premier League. Borussia Monchengladbach are believed to be open to a sale if the conditions are right, while the player is understood to be keen on the opportunity to test himself in England.
From Leeds' perspective, the timing also makes sense. Defensive reinforcement has become a pressing priority after Pascal Struijk's departure to Brighton, especially with Farke having leaned into a back-three system during the run-in last season. Elvedi has the profile to suit that shape, given his reading of the game, composure in possession and comfort operating in an organised defensive unit.
There is also a valuable personal element to this pursuit. Farke knows Elvedi well from their time together in Germany, and that familiarity often helps move a deal from interest to genuine conviction. Managers do not push this hard unless they feel a player can improve the floor and ceiling of the side.

#leeds #club #borussia