Bundesliga Daily Report - 2026-09-22: Borussia Mönchengladbach appoint Alexander Blessin as new head coach

Borussia Mönchengladbach appointed Alexander Blessin as their new head coach on Tuesday, 22 September 2026. The former Genoa and Union Saint-Gilloise coach signed a contract through 2028, replacing Eugen Polanski after the club dismissed him nine days earlier. Mönchengladbach were bottom of the Bundesliga after losing all four of their matches and conceding 16 goals. Assistant Jan-Moritz Lichte had overseen Saturday’s 4-3 defeat by Mainz on an interim basis, but the club have now turned to Blessin to halt a damaging start to the campaign.

Blessin’s appointment gives him almost three weeks to prepare before Mönchengladbach’s next Bundesliga fixture, at home to Cologne on 11 October. That extended gap, created by the international break, offers the new coach time to assess a squad that has already conceded 16 times in four matches. Blessin’s previous Bundesliga experience came with St Pauli, whom he coached last season before their relegation and his dismissal in June. The immediate task is to restore defensive stability and end a run that has left Mönchengladbach facing an early fight against relegation.

Bayern Munich remained second in the Bundesliga behind Borussia Dortmund after four matchdays, despite holding a superior goal difference, according to comments published on Tuesday, 22 September 2026. Dortmund had won all four of their league matches, while Bayern had collected three victories and drawn 0-0 away to Schalke. Bayern also laboured to a 2-1 victory at newly promoted SV Elversberg, but their wider record included six successive wins across all competitions after losing the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup to Dortmund.

Bayern’s hierarchy was reported to be unconcerned by the early table because the champions had scored 14 goals and conceded only two in the league. The Schalke draw was viewed internally as an isolated setback rather than evidence of a wider problem. Dortmund’s flawless opening has nevertheless created an early challenge for Bayern, who must chase a rival that already holds a four-point advantage. The international break gives both sides time to regroup before the title race resumes, with Dortmund’s start providing the clearest indication that Bayern will not have an uncontested route to another championship.

Bayern Munich president Herbert Hainer said on Tuesday, 22 September 2026, that the club expected Harry Kane to extend his contract beyond the end of the season. Kane’s existing agreement expires next summer, but Hainer said Bayern wanted to renew it and believed that would happen. The England captain has also spoken positively about his future, saying negotiations were “looking pretty good”. Bayern’s confidence is based partly on Kane and his family feeling settled in Munich, although the two sides still need to agree the final details.

The principal point under discussion was reportedly the length of the proposed deal, with a contract running until either 2029 or 2030 being considered. Bayern chief executive Jan-Christian Dreesen indicated that the process could move towards a conclusion after the upcoming three-week international break. Kane’s continued presence would preserve the focal point of a forward line that has already delivered strongly this season, while an extension would remove uncertainty around the club’s leading striker before the next summer transfer window.

Michael Olise scored a hat-trick for Bayern Munich in their 7-0 victory over Union Berlin on Matchday 4, with the performance elevating him above even Harry Kane’s landmark occasion. Kane scored his 100th Bundesliga goal in the match, but Olise was described as the undisputed star after producing three goals at the Allianz Arena. The France international had already enjoyed a remarkable previous campaign, recording 15 goals and 19 assists in the Bundesliga and 22 goals and 29 assists in all competitions.

Olise’s latest display suggested that Bayern are receiving more than a repeat of last season’s production from their wide forward. He was voted Bundesliga Player of the Season in 2025/26 after becoming only the second player since 2004/05 to reach at least 15 goals and 15 assists in one campaign. His improvement gives Bayern another elite attacking outlet alongside Kane and Luis Díaz, and makes the champions’ early goal-scoring numbers less dependent on their centre-forward. The hat-trick also strengthened Olise’s standing as one of the league’s defining players.

Waldemar Anton helped Borussia Dortmund keep a 1-0 victory over VfB Stuttgart on Saturday, 19 September 2026, as the Bundesliga leaders maintained their perfect start. The centre-back was praised as one of the statistically best players in the division and as an indispensable figure in Dortmund’s defence. The match carried added significance because it took Anton back to his former club, where the article reported that supporters continued to boo his touches following his move away.

Anton’s influence has extended beyond his defensive work, with his communication and relationship with forward Serhou Guirassy highlighted as part of Dortmund’s strong start. The pair regularly challenge each other during matches, but Anton described that frankness as a product of knowing one another for a long time. His consistency has also placed him in the wider conversation around Germany’s future under Jürgen Klopp. With Dortmund top after four wins, Anton’s form has become a major reason for confidence at both club and international level.