Historic Defeats
The period from 2004 to 2010 was an
The period from 2004 to 2010 was an era of embarrassing management errors at the club.
era of embarrassing management errors at the club. Gladbach lacked any coherent concept in assembling the squad, choosing the sporting director, or appointing the coach, and effectively turned into a new KaDeWe — a department store. In 2010/11, a third relegation loomed, until Lucien Favre arrived in spring 2011, engineered a sensational late run into the playoff against VfL Bochum and preserved top-flight status.
In the very next season, the club qualified for the playoff rounds for a place in the Champions League.
0:11 against Rangers: In the Cup Winners’ Cup
0:11 against Rangers: In the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1960, Gladbach suffered a brutal thrashing in its very first competitive international tie.
in 1960, Gladbach suffered a brutal thrashing in its very first competitive international tie. The team lost 3:0 at home to Glasgow Rangers, then went down 8:0 in Glasgow.
Failure in Madrid: In 1985/86, Borussia Mönchengladbach met
Failure in Madrid: In 1985/86, Borussia Mönchengladbach met Real Madrid in the UEFA Cup round of sixteen.
Real Madrid in the UEFA Cup round of sixteen. The Foals made short work of the first leg and won 5:1. Yet they still went out. In the return match, Santillana scored in the 89th minute to make it 4:0 for Real, and because of the away-goals rule Gladbach were eliminated.
It was one of Borussia’s most timid European displays and probably marked the end of coach Jupp Heynckes’s hopes of ever winning a title with that team.
BMG vs. league average
Bitter Moments
DFB Cup final 1992: After surviving a penalty
DFB Cup final 1992: After surviving a penalty thriller against Bayer Leverkusen in the semifinal, BMG faced then-second-tier Hannover 96 in the 1992 DFB Cup final — and lost after a 0:0 draw and a penalty shootout.
thriller against Bayer Leverkusen in the semifinal, BMG faced then-second-tier Hannover 96 in the 1992 DFB Cup final — and lost after a 0:0 draw and a penalty shootout. A mega-embarrassment at the worst possible moment.
The 1998/99 season: Gladbach have been relegated from
The 1998/99 season: Gladbach have been relegated from the Bundesliga twice, both times as bottom of the table.
the Bundesliga twice, both times as bottom of the table. In 1998/99, Borussia opened with a 3:0 win over Schalke 04 and topped the table for a week for the last time in 13 years. Then came six defeats and two draws.
By matchday nine, BMG were already bottom; on matchdays ten and eleven, a 2:8 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen — the game with the most goals Borussia ever conceded at the Bökelberg — and a 1:7 loss at Wolfsburg cost coach Friedel Rausch his job.
The team stayed 18th until the end. They lost 21 matches that season, and leading players such as goalkeeper Robert Enke, defender Patrik Andersson and midfielders Karlheinz Pflipsen and Sebastian Deisler all left the club.
Even Heynckes could not fix it: In 2006/07,
Even Heynckes could not fix it: In 2006/07, Borussia were knocked out of the DFB Cup in round two by regional-league side VfL Osnabrück.
Borussia were knocked out of the DFB Cup in round two by regional-league side VfL Osnabrück. The misery continued in the league. After a disappointing first half of the season, the team stood in the relegation zone with only 15 points.
Coach Jupp Heynckes, brought back with high expectations for a second spell, resigned on January 31, 2007 because of the sporting failure and after receiving death threats.
Assistant coach Jos Luhukay took over and managed just two wins and four draws from the final 15 games.
Modern Low Points
The heaviest defeats: Gladbach’s worst losses came twice
The heaviest defeats: Gladbach’s worst losses came twice by a 0:7 scoreline — away, in Stuttgart on September 18, 2010, and at home, on April 30, 1966...
by a 0:7 scoreline — away, in Stuttgart on September 18, 2010, and at home, on April 30, 1966 against Werder Bremen.