Borussia Monchengladbach — Hamburg : Match Preview and Prediction for August 24,2025

Decline in League Performance

Borussia Monchengladbach continues its downward trajectory in the league standings season after season. It’s hard to believe that not long ago, they were competing not just in European tournaments, but in the Champions League itself. Last season, the Foals finished a disappointing tenth. While the decision to retain Gerardo Seoane might be justifiable, the continued lack of significant squad reinforcements is not. This is particularly concerning given that two key leaders have departed the team.

Pre-Season Form and Readiness

Despite these underlying issues, the pre-season campaign for the “Black-White-Greens” proved remarkably fruitful and successful, boasting six wins, one draw, and just one loss. However, it’s worth noting that most of their opponents were of a moderate standard.

Transfer Window Woes

Regarding the transfer campaign itself, Borussia has seen the departure of Alassane Plea (to PSV) and Ko Itakura (to Ajax). Both were absolutely crucial players for the squad. The only somewhat notable signing has been Shuto Matino (from Holstein Kiel), which hardly compensates for the losses.

Doubtful DFB-Pokal Start

The start of the official season, admittedly, looked successful on paper, as they overcame “Delmenhorst” (3-2) in the 1/32 final of the DFB-Pokal. However, this victory raises more questions than it answers, considering the Gladbach squad faced an opponent from the fifth division. Moreover, they were forced to come from behind twice during the match, hinting at underlying vulnerabilities.

Injury Concerns

Gerardo Seoane will be without a significant number of players, including N’Goumou, Mohia, Diks, Kleindienst, Swider, and Matino, due to various issues.

Long-Awaited Return to Top Flight

Hamburg’s long-awaited return to the German football elite, after seven years, is currently looking rather bleak. Initial problems surfaced during their pre-season preparations. While they managed to beat humble Oldenburg 5-0, this was followed by four consecutive losses with a combined scoreline of 1-9 against Copenhagen (0-1), Sturm (1-2), Lyon (0-4), and Mallorca (0-2).

DFB-Pokal Struggle

These troubles carried over into official matches. Most recently, Merlin Polzin’s squad faced a fifth-division team, “Pirmasens” (2-1 after extra time), in the 1/32 final of the DFB-Pokal. Not only was the victory secured only in extra time, but their opponents looked considerably more dangerous and had every chance of progressing. However, they simply lacked the experience and physical stamina, noticeably fading in the second half.

Key Player Departure & Replacement

The team has undoubtedly been negatively impacted by the sale of Davie Selke (to Istanbul Basaksehir), who netted 22 times in last season’s 2. Bundesliga. His replacement is the experienced, but arguably past his prime, Yussuf Poulsen (from RB Leipzig), who, to make matters worse, will also be unavailable for today’s match.

Player Absences

Merlin Polzin’s list of absentees, in addition to Yussuf Poulsen, also includes Ferai, Jatta, and Dompe.