Soccer-Bundesliga strugglers Gladbach appoint Blessin as manager


FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - DFB Cup - Quarter Final - Bayer Leverkusen v St. Pauli - BayArena, Leverkusen, Germany - February 3, 2026 St. Pauli coach Alexander Blessin inside the stadium before the match REUTERS/Thilo Schmuelgen/File Photo

Sept 22 (Reuters) - Bundesliga basement ⁠side Borussia Moenchengladbachappointed Alexander Blessin as manager on ⁠Tuesday after they started the season with four straight ‌league defeats.

Gladbach sacked Eugen Polanski on September 13 and brought in Jan-Moritz Lichte on an interim basis but it did not improve their fortunes ​as they lost 4-3 to Mainz ⁠the following weekend.

Blessin has a ⁠contract until June 2028.

His last job was a two-year spell ⁠at ‌St Pauli that ended in June, having taken over after they were promoted to the Bundesliga under ⁠Fabian Huerzeler and kept the club in the ​top flight ‌for a season before they were relegated last term.

"Blessin ⁠will be ​officially unveiled at a press conference at ista-Borussia-Park at 13:30 CEST on Wednesday, 23rd September, with Head of Sports Rouven Schroeder ⁠in attendance," said Gladbach in a statement ​on their website.

The StPauli job was Blessin's first as a senior manager in German football, although he spent eight years at ⁠RB Leipzig as a youth coach after being brought in by Ralf Rangnick.

Previously, he had spells in Belgium and Italy, taking charge of KV Oostende, Genoa and Union Saint-Gilloise.

Gladbach ​finished 12th last season, nine points clear ⁠of the relegation playoff position. Blessin will have time during ​the international break to work with ‌his players before they return to ​action in the Bundesliga on October 11 at FC Cologne.

(Reporting by Ruairidh Barlow; Editing by Ken Ferris)

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