Borussia Mönchengladbach head coach Alexander Blessin enjoyed an emotional homecoming on Friday evening as his side secured their first Bundesliga victory of the season with a dramatic 3-2 comeback win against VfB Stuttgart. The 53-year-old Stuttgart native celebrated the long-awaited breakthrough in his hometown, where members of his family were present to watch his team end a six-match losing streak.
After the final whistle, Blessin climbed into the stands at the MHPArena to visit with his family members. The Gladbach trainer was subsequently asked at the post-match press conference what it meant to collect his first victory in charge of the Foals in the city of his birth.
“I’m simply happy for the team,” Blessin told reporters. “We’ve had six games [without a win]. Granted, I’ve only been involved in two of them, but you could naturally sense the gloomy mood a little.”
“To be perfectly honest, I really don’t care where the points come from,” Blessin continued. “You can believe me on that. It’s nice that the family is here and that we can celebrate together. But what matters for us as a club is getting these three points.”
Blessin’s Stuttgart homecoming offers little time for celebration
The victory ensured that Gladbach avoided becoming the first Bundesliga team to lose their opening seven league fixtures. Blessin’s side nevertheless remain rooted to the bottom of the table, with considerable work still required to escape their precarious position.
A second question at the press conference concerned Blessin’s immediate plans following the victory. With the trainer residing near Stuttgart, a reporter wondered whether he might return home to enjoy a short break with his family.
Blessin responded by reminding the questioner of Gladbach’s upcoming DFB-Pokal assignment.
“You do know that we have another cup game on Tuesday, right?” Blessin replied.
The Gladbach coach confirmed that the team would spend the night in Stuttgart before flying back the following day. There would be no day off, with preparations for Tuesday’s trip to Karlsruher SC taking priority.
Even if Karlsruhe happens to be a short trip away from Stuttgart, Blessin needs the team back on its own training ground within 24 hours.
“We have three days to prepare for Karlsruhe,” Blessin explained. “To produce the same performance again, we need good preparation. That’s why there won’t be a day off.”
Blessin’s first Gladbach victory may have come in his hometown, with his family present to celebrate, but the 53-year-old made clear that sentiment would not interfere with the demands of preparing for the next match.
