Gladbach captain Kleindienst is causing a stir with clear words

When a captain questions the morale of his team twice, it resonates for a few days. Tim Kleindienst, 31 years old and captain of Borussia Mönchengladbach, found more than clear words after the two bankruptcies at the start of the season.

After the 3-0 defeat on the first matchday in Leipzig, he said: "We already had a chance of beating them. Then we can't play kindergarten football like that, we have to play men's football."

A week later he finally renewed his criticism after the 3:4 at home against SV Elversberg. Kleindienst said after the defeat against the promoted team from Saarland: "We were all young once, we all make mistakes sometimes. But we wanted to start learning as we played." It is important "that we quickly increase our focus so that it lasts for 90 minutes. I have no idea what it is. Watch less TikTok, or whatever. I actually don't care what they do."

“With some of his statements about it”

That was obviously too much of a bad thing. Gladbach's sports director Rouven Schröder had to catch his captain. Kleindienst was a “man of clear words,” Schröder told Bild. After internal discussions and with some distance, the striker realized “that he was wrong with some of his statements”.

The interviews caused a public stir after the games. “The statements that Tim made immediately after the game were understandably emotionally driven given how the game went,” said Schröder.

As “Bild” reports, many Gladbach players are upset that Kleindienst did not include himself in the criticism. And that despite the fact that the six-time national player was still without a goal after the second matchday. The fact that the striker only attacked the youngsters obviously doesn't sit well with many professionals.

Borussia Mönchengladbach is in 17th place in the Bundesliga after defeats against Leipzig and Elversberg. On Saturday the foals will play away at SC Freiburg on the third matchday (3:30 p.m., Sky and in the WELT live ticker).