# Blessin in disguise? Gladbach must scale mountain after derby defeat

> Gladbach's new coach faces steep climb after derby loss to Köln.
- Title: Blessin in disguise? Gladbach must scale mountain after derby…
- Summary: Gladbach's new coach faces steep climb after derby loss to Köln. Borussia Mönchengladbach lost to FC Köln in a derby, with new coach Alexander Blessin…
- Keywords: borussia monchengladbach, fc köl, alexander blessin, derby, bundesliga, injury list, sports, Blessin, disguise, Gladbach, must, scale
- Source: the Guardian — https://theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/12/bundesliga-borussia-monchengladbach-koln-alexander-blessin-said-el-mala
- Published: 2026-10-12T11:53:02+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: borussia monchengladbach, fc köl, alexander blessin, derby, bundesliga, injury list, sports
## Derby defeat for Gladbach
Borussia Mönchengladbach lost to FC Köln in a derby match.
## New coach faces challenge
Alexander Blessin begins his reign after a chastening start to the Bundesliga campaign.
## Injury list complicates recovery
Key players like Franck Honorat and striker Tim Kleindienst are injured.
## El Mala scores winner
Saïd El Mala scored the winning goal for Köln with a right-footed shot.
## El Mala's confidence
El Mala said he has never been so fired up for a game after scoring his first goal.
## Gladbach's struggles
Gladbach has lost key players like Marcus Thuram and Jonas Hofmann recently.
## Blessin's task
Blessin must revive an injury-hit team without many stars of note.
## Köln's advantage
Köln has a hero in El Mala who scored his first goal since the opening day.
## Gladbach's position
Gladbach sits at the bottom of the Bundesliga table with 0 points.
## Next challenge
Gladbach must scale the mountain after a derby defeat to Köln.
## Key takeaway

Borussia Mönchengladbach lost to FC Köln in a derby, with new coach Alexander Blessin needing to rebuild an injury-hit team.