Borussia Monchengladbach — Schalke 04 : Match Preview and Prediction for September 05,2025

Borussia Monchengladbach: Navigating a Period of Transformation

Borussia Monchengladbach is currently undergoing a significant squad overhaul. The club has seen a core group of influential players depart, including Itakura, Weigl, and Plea. Head coach Gerardo Seoane openly acknowledges these qualitative losses. However, this is not a collapse but a deliberate, planned transformation. To fill the void left by departing stars, the team has brought in intriguing new talents such as Giovanni Reyna from Dortmund, Yannick Engelhardt from Italy’s Serie A, and striker Shuto Matino.

Early Bundesliga Form: Promising Underlying Statistics

At the outset of the Bundesliga season, Mönchengladbach has only managed to secure one point from two matches. Yet, the statistics from their recent encounter against Stuttgart paint a more encouraging picture. Despite a 0-1 defeat, Borussia led significantly in Expected Goals (xG), registering 1.88 compared to their opponent’s 0.86. The team generated two clear-cut scoring opportunities and fired 15 shots at goal. This indicates that their attacking machinery is largely functional, needing only a refined finishing touch.

Friendly Opportunity: Integrating New Talent and Building Chemistry

This friendly fixture presents an invaluable opportunity for the team to fine-tune its connections and build chemistry. While some players, such as Shuto Matino and Nico Elvedi, are away on international duty, their absence opens the door for others. Giovanni Reyna, for instance, not called up by the US national team, will gain crucial minutes to integrate into his new squad. This match is a vital chance for both Reyna and Mönchengladbach to practice new attacking combinations and solidify their tactical approach.

Schalke 04: Navigating the 2. Bundesliga Landscape

Schalke 04 currently competes in the 2. Bundesliga, a fundamental difference in competitive level that cannot be overlooked. While the team is among the leaders in its division, the quality of opposition there is distinctly different. Their recent 1-0 victory against Dynamo Dresden underscores this, as the winning goal came only from an 84th-minute penalty, highlighting a less dominant performance than their league position might suggest.

Recent Form and Transfer Market Distractions

From a performance perspective, that match was an even contest, with Schalke failing to assert total dominance. The Expected Goals (xG) statistics were nearly identical: 1.34 for Schalke versus 1.19 for Dynamo. This pattern does not reflect a team significantly superior to its opponent. Furthermore, “the Royal Blues” are currently operating amidst an atmosphere of transfer uncertainty, which could impact focus.

Squad Morale Amidst Transfer Rumors

Rumors persistently swirl around top scorer Moussa Sylla regarding a potential transfer, undoubtedly affecting team concentration. Additionally, the club has a substantial list of players it intends to sell. In such an environment, maintaining full focus is challenging, particularly in a friendly match where stakes are lower but team cohesion is tested.