Tim Kleindienst’s Return and Haris Tabakovic’s Emergence Shine for Mönchengladbach

omidbasir- In a recent pre-match press conference, Borussia Mönchengladbach head coach Eugen Polanski announced the anticipated return of long-injured captain Tim Kleindienst. Polanski emphasized that he was not overly concerned with the assessments of the club’s medical team, asserting that it was crucial for Kleindienst to step back onto the Bundesliga pitch.

Kleindienst’s return was carefully managed, as he was introduced into a match that had already been decided against his former club, 1. FC Heidenheim. The 30-year-old striker made his entrance during the dying moments of the game at 90+1, ultimately managing to make four touches on the ball.

“Just being back on the pitch is a positive thing,” Kleindienst expressed in the mixed zone following the match. He also extended his gratitude to the Heidenheim fans for their applause, stating, “I know it’s a bit cheesy, but it touched me deeply.”

Kleindienst understands that it will take considerable time to regain full match fitness after undergoing major knee surgery. Additionally, there has been an unforeseen development involving a teammate he has not played alongside since late last spring.

On loan from Hoffenheim, striker Haris Tabakovic was initially doubted by many, with early performances failing to impress. However, he soon began to capitalize on scoring opportunities, and after netting another goal in Saturday’s victory, he has now accumulated a total of seven league goals. Only England’s Harry Kane and Eintracht Frankfurt’s Jonathan Burkardt have scored more in the Bundesliga this season.

In his post-match remarks, Kleindienst praised Tabakovic’s progress, saying, “Haris is doing an amazing job. I hope he can ride this wave and keep it up. I need another month-and-a-half to two months. I’m sure I’ll be coming on as a substitute a few times at first. Competitive football is tough, and there are still a few things I need to work on. But I have no problem coming off the bench at the moment.”

GGFN | Peter Weis