Bayern bogeyman Gladbach ready for another upset

Berlin — There is no team in the Bundesliga that can boast a better record against the mighty Bayern Munich than Borussia Mönchengladbach.

The Foals have not won any silverware in decades but they do have recent history on their side when they host the champions on Saturday, having scored nine wins against them since the 2011/12 season. No other Bundesliga club has more than five in the same period. They also spectacularly crushed them 5-0 in the German Cup last season.

Gladbach, in 10th place, are unbeaten against Bayern in their last four encounters across all competitions and another match without defeat would set a new unbeaten club record against the Bavarians. The last time they lost at home dates back to 2019.

Coach Daniel Farke, however, does not yet know whether Marcus Thuram and Joe Scally will be fit for the match, with both players having missed Wednesday’s training with injuries.

“We will have to see for both of them how it develops over the next few days,” said Farke. “It looks like it is going to be tight.”

While Bayern started the year with three straight draws, Julian Nagelmann’s team has since bounced back and won their last two league games. They also got a big confidence boost on Tuesday after their 1-0 win at Paris St Germain in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.

“Bayern are in good form and will be highly motivated to deliver against us,” said Farke. “Playing against Bayern is the toughest task in German football and maybe in European football.”

For Yann Sommer, it will be a quick return to Gladbach after he left the club last month to fill the gap at Bayern left by injured goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.

“He is doing great work at the moment performance wise,” Nagelsmann said of Sommer. “We are really happy to have him,” he said, knowing the keeper is likely to be kept busy by his former club on Saturday.

Bayern are on 43 points, one ahead of Union Berlin, who host strugglers Schalke 04 on Sunday. Borussia Dortmund, in third place on 40, play improving Hertha Berlin.

Reuters