CLUB SNAPSHOT: At a Glance
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Club | Borussia Mönchengladbach |
| League | Bundesliga |
| Manager | Alexander Blessin |
| Stadium | ista-Borussia-Park |
| Nickname | Die Fohlen |
| Founded | 1900 |
| First-Choice Striker | Tim Kleindienst |
| Supporting Forward | Shuto Machino |
| Wide Forward | Franck Honorat |
| Returning Loanee | Haris Tabaković (to Hoffenheim) |
| Notable Departure | Haris Tabaković (loan expired, 13 goals) |
The Defining Moment
Gladbach’s 2026/27 forward line is defined by a return that was supposed to solve everything and has, so far, solved nothing. When Tim Kleindienst suffered a knee injury in October 2025 that required surgery, the club turned to Haris Tabaković on loan from Hoffenheim. The Bosnian responded with 13 goals and two assists in 32 Bundesliga appearances, one of the most productive campaigns of any striker in the division, and almost single-handedly kept Gladbach’s attack afloat .
The defining moment came not in a goal, but in a decision made in June 2026. Sporting director Rouven Schröder confirmed that Gladbach would not pursue a permanent deal for Tabaković. “Haris is at a certain age. He has a contract in Hoffenheim and earned a very good salary there. With us, Tim Kleindienst is coming back, and we are planning with him as our main striker. Playing both together, we see rather critically” . The reasoning was financial as much as sporting: Hoffenheim’s asking price was too high, and Gladbach could not justify the investment for a 32-year-old squad option .
The consequences have been stark. Kleindienst has started three league matches and scored zero goals, managing six shots and 27.1 kilometres covered in a campaign that has seen Gladbach slump to the bottom of the Bundesliga with four points from eight matches . The goals that Tabaković provided last season—13 of them—have not been replaced. Shuto Machino, the Japanese forward, has contributed two goals in six appearances, but he is a creative forward rather than a prolific scorer . Franck Honorat, the French winger, has provided two assists but no goals in four matches .
This is the story of Gladbach’s 2026/27 forwards: a returning striker whose fitness and form have deserted him, a Japanese international tasked with filling a void he was never meant to fill, a French winger whose creativity has been wasted, and the ghost of a loanee whose goals are the difference between survival and relegation.
Tactical Context
Blessin has alternated between a 4-2-3-1 and a 3-4-3, searching for a combination that can generate goals from a forward line that has been largely ineffective. The central striker is asked to hold the ball up, press defenders, and finish the few chances that arrive. Kleindienst, at 194 cm, is the physical focal point, but his lack of match sharpness after injury has limited his impact . Machino, at 185 cm, offers a more mobile alternative, dropping deep to link play and arriving in the box late, but he is not a traditional penalty-box poacher .
The numbers reflect a forward line that is starved of service and confidence. Gladbach have scored 11 goals in eight matches, a rate of 1.38 per game, but those goals have come from across the squad: defenders like Joe Scally have contributed three, midfielders like Wael Mohya have chipped in, and the forwards have been largely anonymous . Against Freiburg, a 5-0 defeat, Gladbach managed five shots and zero on target. Against Stuttgart, a 3-2 victory, the forwards pressed and created space for the midfielders to score, but the goals came from elsewhere.
The structural issue is the absence of a proven goalscorer. Kleindienst scored 12 goals in 2024/25 before his injury, but he has not rediscovered that form . Machino’s record at Holstein Kiel—11 goals in 2024/25—suggested he could contribute, but his role at Gladbach has been more creative than finishing . Honorat is a winger, not a striker. The supporting cast—Nathan Ngoumou, Robin Hack, and the young Isac Lidberg—have provided depth but not a consistent goal threat.
The contrast with last season is brutal. In 2025/26, Tabaković scored 13 goals and kept Gladbach competitive despite Kleindienst’s absence. The 2026/27 arrangement is built on the hope that Kleindienst can rediscover his form and that Machino can provide enough supplementary goals to compensate. So far, neither has happened.
The Forwards
Tim Kleindienst
Kleindienst is Gladbach’s first-choice striker, the German international whose return from injury was supposed to solve the club’s goalscoring problems. The 31-year-old has started three league matches, playing 270 minutes, and has scored zero goals, managing six shots and winning 19 duels .
His profile is that of the traditional, physically imposing target man. At 194 cm, Kleindienst combines aerial strength with a willingness to engage in duels and hold the ball up under pressure. His 2024/25 campaign, in which he scored 12 goals, demonstrated his ability to lead the line in the Bundesliga. The knee injury that required surgery in October 2025 interrupted that momentum, and he has not recovered it.
The context of his season matters. Kleindienst was signed from Heidenheim in 2024 as the long-term solution to Gladbach’s striker problem. His first season was productive, his second was disrupted by injury, and his third has been a struggle. At 31, he is in the latter stages of his prime, and the club’s decision to prioritize him over Tabaković was a vote of confidence that has not been repaid. The goals must come, or Gladbach’s relegation will be confirmed long before May.
Shuto Machino
Machino is Gladbach’s most productive forward this season, the Japanese international who has contributed two goals in six league appearances . His profile is that of the creative forward, a player who drops off the front line to link play and create chances as often as he takes them. Scouting reports describe him as “a forward who drops off the front line to create chances as often as he takes them,” with creativity and finishing as his clearest strengths .
The context of his season matters. Machino arrived from Holstein Kiel in 2025, where he had scored 11 goals in 32 appearances. His first season at Gladbach yielded four goals in 35 matches, a modest return. This season, he has already matched half that total in limited minutes, but his role has been more creative than finishing. At 27, he is in his prime, and his importance to a team that struggles for goals cannot be overstated—even if he is not the prolific scorer that Gladbach need.
Franck Honorat
Honorat is Gladbach’s creative wide forward, the Frenchman whose delivery and dribbling have provided the few moments of quality in a dismal season. The 30-year-old has made four league appearances, contributing two assists but no goals .
His profile is that of the direct, creative winger. Honorat is comfortable running at defenders, delivering crosses, and playing incisive passes. His two assists in four matches reflect his importance to Gladbach’s attacking structure, even if the goals have not followed. At 30, he is in the latter stages of his prime, and his creativity is one of the few weapons Gladbach possess.
Haris Tabaković (Departed)
Tabaković’s departure is the story that defines Gladbach’s season. The 32-year-old Bosnian scored 13 goals in 32 Bundesliga appearances on loan from Hoffenheim, one of the most productive campaigns of his career . His injury in the final match of the season—a twisted ankle against Hoffenheim—was a cruel end to a campaign that had made him a fan favourite .
The context of his exit matters. Schröder’s explanation was pragmatic: age, salary, and the return of Kleindienst made a permanent deal difficult to justify . But the footballing consequence has been severe. Tabaković’s goals have not been replaced, and Gladbach’s attack has been the weakest in the division. The decision may have been financially sound. It has been footballing suicide.
Nathan Ngoumou and the Supporting Cast
Ngoumou, the 26-year-old French winger, has provided depth but not a consistent goal threat . Robin Hack, the 28-year-old German, has been limited by injury and form. Isac Lidberg and Tomás Cvancara provide cover but have not established themselves as regular contributors . The depth is adequate in numbers but not in proven quality.
The Numbers Game
TABLE A: Borussia Mönchengladbach Forward Bundesliga Statistics (2026/27)
| Player | Apps (Starts) | Minutes | Goals | Assists | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shuto Machino | 6 (—) | 268 | 2 | 0 | FW |
| Tim Kleindienst | 3 (3) | 270 | 0 | 0 | ST |
| Franck Honorat | 4 (—) | 238 | 0 | 2 | W |
| Nathan Ngoumou | — | — | 0 | 0 | W |
TABLE B: Borussia Mönchengladbach Forward Unit – Key Metrics (2026/27)
| Metric | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Gladbach Goals Scored (Bundesliga) | 11 | 1.38 per game; 18th in division |
| Kleindienst Goals | 0 | 6 shots, 0 on target |
| Machino Goals | 2 | 1 penalty, 1 open play |
| Tabaković Goals (2025/26) | 13 | Not replaced |
TABLE C: Forward Career Context & Pedigree
| Player | Nationality | Previous Clubs | Style Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tim Kleindienst | Germany | Heidenheim, Freiburg | Physical target man, aerial presence, finisher |
| Shuto Machino | Japan | Holstein Kiel | Creative forward, drops deep, links play |
| Franck Honorat | France | Brest, Saint-Étienne | Direct winger, delivery, creativity |
| Nathan Ngoumou | France | Toulouse | Pacey winger, developing |
Tactical Identity & Squad Balance
Gladbach’s forward line is a study in regression. The departure of Tabaković removed the only proven goalscorer from a squad that had few alternatives. The return of Kleindienst was supposed to compensate, but his form and fitness have not allowed it. Machino has provided a creative outlet and two goals, but he is not a prolific scorer. Honorat has provided assists but no goals.
The balance is fragile. Kleindienst is the focal point, but he has not scored. Machino is the most productive forward, but his role is more creative than finishing. Honorat is the creator, but the goals have not followed. The supporting cast is young and unproven. In a relegation battle, that fragility is a recipe for disaster.
The contrast with last season is instructive. In 2025/26, Tabaković’s 13 goals powered Gladbach to a mid-table finish. The 2026/27 arrangement has produced 11 goals in eight matches, and the forwards have contributed just two. The club’s decision to prioritize Kleindienst over Tabaković was a gamble. It has not paid off.
The risk is January. If Kleindienst does not find his form, Gladbach must turn to Machino or the market. The club’s financial constraints make a significant signing unlikely, but the need for a goalscorer is undeniable. Without one, relegation is inevitable.
The Verdict from the Camp
Rouven Schröder, Borussia Mönchengladbach sporting director, on Tabaković’s departure:
“Haris is at a certain age. He has a contract in Hoffenheim and earned a very good salary there. With us, Tim Kleindienst is coming back, and we are planning with him as our main striker. Playing both together, we see rather critically. And so we had to weigh up: how much money do we want to invest to get this player? With whom you also know that as a club you might not get this investment back” .
ScoutingStats.AI, on Shuto Machino:
“Shuto Machino is a 27-year-old Japan forward at Borussia Mönchengladbach, a right-footed centre forward standing 185cm tall. He spends about two-thirds of his minutes as a centre forward and about a quarter in attacking midfield. His main role is a creative forward, with a poacher’s instincts as a second. Creativity, finishing, stamina, short passing and getting into scoring positions are his clearest strengths” .
Bundesliga.com, on Tim Kleindienst:
“Tim Kleindienst: 3 appearances, 0 goals, 0 assists, 6 shots, 19 duels won, 9 aerial duels won, 27.1 km distance covered” .
Where Next?
Gladbach’s forward priority is goals, and the current rate of 1.38 per game is unsustainable for a team hoping to avoid relegation. Kleindienst must rediscover the form that made him a 12-goal striker in 2024/25, or Blessin must find an alternative. Machino has provided two goals in limited minutes, but he is not the answer to a relegation battle’s demands.
The January window is unlikely to bring a marquee signing, but the club’s precarious position may force a pragmatic addition. A loan move for an experienced Bundesliga striker—someone capable of providing goals and leadership—would be the ideal solution, but the club’s financial constraints make any deal complicated.
The longer-term question is the forward line’s identity. Kleindienst is 31 and contracted beyond this season. Machino is 27 and has three years remaining. Honorat is 30. The next generation—Ngoumou, Lidberg, Cvancara—must be prepared to step up, but none has shown the consistency required for Bundesliga football.
For now, Gladbach’s forwards are the weakest link in a season that is slipping away. Kleindienst’s return was supposed to solve the problem. It has not. Machino’s creativity has provided moments of hope. It has not been enough. The ghost of Tabaković’s 13 goals looms over every missed chance, every goalless draw, every defeat. The decision to let him go may have been financially sound. It may also be the decision that sends Gladbach to the second tier.
