Stuck in the bottom of the table in the Bundesliga, Borussia Mönchengladbach is particularly disappointing this season. His French internationals Alassane Pléa and especially Marcus Thuram are going through a chaotic exercise.
A championship that values French players a lot, the Bundesliga continues to value these elements like Mohamed Simakan, Amine Adli or Manu Koné. The latter, who arrived this summer from Toulouse after being bought in the winter of 2021, is bursting with all his talent with Borussia Mönchengladbach despite the difficulties encountered by the Fohlens. However, the other French team are experiencing a much more chaotic season like the heavy 6-0 defeat conceded against Borussia Dortmund this Sunday. Announced as a young hope since his arrival in 2016 from PSG, Mamadou Doucouré (23) is still injured. Still not used this season, he has only two appearances in his career with Gladbach and has 1166 days of absence. An impressive figure and a lasting refrain.
From leaders to undesirables
His situation is not surprising given his background. On the other hand, the two international tricolors of the team, Marcus Thuram (24 years old, 4 caps) and Alassane Pléa (28 years old, 1 cape) are experiencing a sacred hollow. Still, they’ve been invaluable to the Fohlens since their respective arrivals in 2019 and 2018, but today they’re in particular pain. Put on the transfer market last winter, the two players are no longer untouchable and have a string of disappointing performances. For Marcus Thuram, the fall is particularly dizzying. Author of a high-flying 2020/2021 season with 11 goals and 12 offerings in 40 matches, the native of Parma had discovered the Champions League, the tricolor selection and even Euro 2020 with the Blues. A cannon exercise which had linked him last summer to Inter Milan even if he did not move. As he reaches the end of his contract in June 2023, Borussia Mönchengladbach now wants to sell him at all costs.
Aware that the player is talented, the German club is particularly burned by the level displayed by Marcus Thuram in this 2021/2022 exercise. It’s simple, in 17 matches played in all competitions, he still hasn’t scored or delivered a single assist. Admittedly, he missed two months of competition, but since then he has had the opportunity to stand out and he has gradually fallen. Since the start of 2022, his status has even changed since he is now a substitute in the German team. Beyond his performances, it is his attitude that poses a problem in Germany. Not making much effort when the ball is lost and having a mercenary attitude according to the local press, he is clearly no longer in the odor of sanctity on the side of Borussia Park.
A chaotic season
At a press conference a few days ago, his coach Adolf Hütter tried to calm things down: “Thuram is trying in training to get back to where he was before. He is on the right path and he will continue to work hard in the last three months of this season. His heart is always with Borussia Mönchengladbach. He loves this club and will give everything for it. However, Marcus Thuram’s situation remains very complicated and he will have to work hard to recover and hope to find the love of the supporters. For Alassane Pléa, the situation is a little different. He too is coming to the end of his contract in 2023 and a departure has often been mentioned. The player trained in Lyon is a candidate for a departure, but Borussia Mönchengladbach will not push him out. Author of 4 goals and 2 offerings in 22 league matches, his performance is disappointing without being catastrophic (12 goals in the Bundesliga in 2018/2019, 10 goals in 2019/2020 and 6 goals in 2020/2021).
While the question of his extension arises and he still has a rating like a winter interest from Newcastle, the one who revealed himself in Nice is in the dark. In difficulty at the start of the season when he was like a foreign body in the team, Alassane Pléa raised his head and even found himself evolving lower in a number ten role. If he still lacks continuity, the native of Lille is in a slightly more favorable position than his compatriot. Formerly standard bearers of Borussia Mönchengladbach, Alassane Pléa and Marcus Thuram are sinking like their team which is thirteenth in the Bundesliga with only four points ahead of Augsburg the barrage. It will be necessary to recover and quickly, under penalty of sinking.
