Leverkusen and Mönchengladbach Face Off in Season Opener

On Friday, the 2024/25 Bundesliga season is set to open with an exciting match as defending champions Bayer Leverkusen take on Borussia Mönchengladbach at 8:30 PM CEST. Not only does this event mark the start of a new season, but it also will test Leverkusen’s ability to keep up the same high level of play from the previous year.

Leverkusen’s coach, Xabi Alonso, leads the team with lofty expectations following the brilliant last season in which they went unbeaten and claimed the league and cup double. The victory in the recent Supercup over VfB Stuttgart despite being without several starters like Oliver Isnou and Patrik Schick is evidence of Leverkusen’s depth and resilience. In addition, the ability to close out games, with the Supernova coming in the 115th minute, puts Leverkusen as a strong favorite in the title defense.

Meanwhile, after just barely avoiding relegation last season, Borussia Mönchengladbach was busy on the transfer market. The arrival of Tim Kleindienst from Karlsruhe, Kevin Stöger from Leverkusen, and Philipp Sander from Werder Bremen is going to rejuvenate the team’s squad. Furthermore, Nico Elvedi and the top goal-scorer Robin Hack, who missed most part of the last season due to an injury, are both going to participate in the starting games.

There are going to be a few players playing at the center stage of the match at Borussia-Park. Leverkusen’s forward, who played a vital role last season, Victor Boniface, and the striker of Mönchengladbach, Alassane Pléa, who blends speed and cleverness in the offensive. The central midfield duo, featuring Leverkusen’s Granit Xhaka and Stöger, who was not yet with Mönchengladbach last season, seem to control the momentum of the game.

It is a very important and influential match for both teams because it sets up context for the rest of the season and provides the first look at how the two teams regard and adapt to the power of their competitors. For Leverkusen, it is crucial to show a weakness on missing core players, and Mönchengladbach will hopefully demonstrate high levels of the signing integration.

I might have missed a point of the younger or under-noticed players like Charles Herrmann of Borussia, who might become the game-changer with excellent air balls and a fast sprint. In addition, a question as to how Mönchengladbach will play against Bayer’s defense that was one of the strongest last season will be a major issue.

The match is set to become a clash between the key titans of the last season. With Leverkusen’s title defense ambitions and Mönchengladbachs efforts to finally leave the relegation they hardly avoided hostilities. Fans will be able to see as the two sides demonstrate their tactical abilities to overcome each other in possession of the ball and their best young players. However, the fans should not fail to see what will happen in the back rows of each side, with wants to keeps the title and another wanting to move up.