Borussia Mönchengladbach have parted ways with Eugen Polanski after three straight Bundesliga defeats, and Jan-Moritz Lichte will take charge on an interim basis before next Saturday's home game against Mainz. His assistant Tobias Trulsen has also been dismissed. The club moved after a start that left them with nothing from their first three league matches.
The results that forced the change
Rouven Schröder, the club's sporting director, pointed straight to the recent run when explaining the decision. Speaking to bundesliga.com, he said: "Despite a good pre-season and positive signs, the team have not managed to achieve the desired results in the Bundesliga. Recent performances led to the decision to relieve Eugen of his duties with immediate effect."
That call was made after defeats at RB Leipzig on Matchday 1, at home to newly promoted Elversberg, and then at Freiburg. Gladbach conceded 12 goals across those three matches, which is a brutal start for any team, let alone one already under pressure to settle quickly after last season's 12th-place finish.
Polanski's brief spell in charge
Polanski's exit closes a short spell that began when he first stepped in as Gerardo Seoane's interim successor. He was made permanent head coach last November, but the club's early-season form has now ended that run. Polanski said in his farewell that Gladbach "was and remains my club" and added that, after making changes for this season and setting ambitious goals, the team "could not deliver on them."
Schröder also thanked Polanski and Tobias Trulsen for their commitment, saying: "Eugen is a Borussia man through and through. We would like to thank him, as well as Tobias Trulsen, for their commitment to Borussia."
Lichte now gets the next job, and the first test comes against Mainz next Saturday. The result will matter quickly, because Gladbach have already used up their margin for error in the league season's opening weeks.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
