The period from 2004 to 2010 was an 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.\n\nIn the very next season, the club qualified for the playoff rounds for a place in the Champions League.
