Gladbach vs. Leverkusen preview: Team news and predicted lineups
Borussia Mönchengladbach
After a bumpy 2023/24 campaign in which they finished just one point above the relegation play-off spot, Gerardo Seoane's Borussia Mönchengladbach will be looking to improve this term.
After a 3-1 win over Aue in the DFB-Pokal, they now face a tough start to the season at home against Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen.
Die Fohlen were torn apart at home by Bayer 04 last season, losing 0-3 around a year ago, but managed a 0-0 draw in the reverse fixture in a game in which Die Werkself wasted plenty of chances.
Ahead of the clash with Leverkusen, Gladbach coach Gerardo Seoane described his former club as "a side with a lot of quality, both individually and as a team".
“Our job is to bring the necessary attributes and discipline to the pitch to cause them problems,” he added.
Team News
Gladbach's most notable new signings are striker Tim Kleindienst from Heidenheim, attacking midfielder Kevin Stöger from VfL Bochum and central midfielder Philipp Sander from Holstein Kiel.
They've bid farewell to loan players Jordan and Maximilian Wöber. Otherwise, they haven't lost any of last season's key players, although dynamic midfielder Manu Koné could be heading for the exit door.
Borges Sanches (knee) and Olschowsky (knee) have been ruled out of Friday's game, but Elvedi is fit and available again after recovering from a foot problem.
Bayer Leverkusen
As Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso recently put it, his team's sensational unbeaten Bundesliga campaign in 2023/24 means they're now the "hunted ones".
After an unstoppable double-winning campaign, Leverkusen now face the difficult task of keeping up the pace and maintaining their high standards.
"This is a new situation for most of us, to have to defend something and not sit back and be satisfied with the successes of the past," said midfield linchpin Granit Xhaka in an interview ahead of the Supercup clash with VfB Stuttgart last week.
As on so many occasions last season, Leverkusen showed great morale in the game, turning a 2-1 deficit into a 2-2 draw with 10 men and winning on penalties.
If they can maintain their high technical quality, creative playing style and special morale, the Werkself will be hard to dethrone this season.
Team News
So far, Leverkusen have managed to keep last season's winning team together, with substitute Adam Hlozek the most notable departure.
On the arrival side, Martin Terrier, Aleix Garcia and Jeanuel Belocian have added to an already exceptional squad.
Exequiel Palacios (knee) will be their only absentee against Gladbach on Friday.
Both Martin Terrier and Victor Boniface are available to play despite disciplinary action being taken against them by the German Football Association (DFB) following the Supercup final.
Boniface has been suspended for one DFB-Pokal match, while Terrier has been handed a two-match ban in the same competition.
Click here to see our predicted Gladbach vs. Leverkusen lineups.