SV 07 Elversberg absolutely lit up the scoreboard, dropping *two* goals in their first ten minutes against the reigning champions, Bayer Leverkusen, last week. Seriously, *two* goals against the best! That’s how you make a Bundesliga debut. They are coming into this second matchday with a confidence boost you just can’t buy, and it’s a stark contrast to their upcoming opponent.
The Foals Are Already Tripping Over Themselves
Borussia Mönchengladbach, on the other hand, is reeling after a brutal 3-0 defeat to RB Leipzig. Adding insult to injury, their former captain, Rocco Reitz, was the one who scored for Leipzig. Ouch. Head coach Eugen Polanski, a former Bundesliga midfielder himself, was brought in last season after Gerardo Seoane’s poor start and is now the permanent guy at Borussia-Park. But let’s be real, if things don’t improve fast, that “permanent” status won’t mean much. To make matters worse, an injury crisis is already hitting them hard. Enzo Leopold is out for a lengthy spell, and new signing Daiki Hashioka, after his Bundesliga debut in Leipzig ended with injury, is also sidelined. Joe Scally, who Gladbach reportedly tried to offload all summer, might now step in to replace the Japanese right-back. Franck Honorat could return to the starting lineup in place of Robin Hack, and Nicolas Kühn, fresh off his loan from Como, is eager to get his first Bundesliga minutes. It’s a mess, plain and simple.
Newcomers Elversberg Just Put The Bundesliga On Notice
Elversberg isn’t just riding high, they’re soaring. That dream start against the 2023/24 champions wasn’t a fluke. Lukas Petkov nailed the historic first goal for the club, then the United States winger Cole Campbell doubled their advantage. David Mokwa’s goal right at the start of the second half looked to seal the deal, and even though Leverkusen snuck in two late goals, Elversberg still held on for an emphatic victory. Coach Vincent Wagner probably won’t be messing with success; expect the same lineup. Youngsters Noah Darvich and Maurice Krattenmacher are out on the wings, just waiting for their chance to prove themselves further. They are playing with nothing to lose and everything to gain, and frankly, it shows.
This weekend, these two sides clash for only the second time ever. The first was a 5-0 DFB-Pokal knockout win for Gladbach back in the 2020/21 season, with Florian Neuhaus making an appearance as a sub. But man, does this match feel different. Elversberg is riding a wave of pure belief after that insane opener, and Gladbach needs to stop the bleeding, fast. Polanski’s team has to bring it, or this early season stumble could quickly become a full-blown crisis.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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