Worst starts in Bundesliga history: Has 2026/27 really been that bad for Borussia Mönchengladbach?
Borussia Mönchengladbach remain the only team yet to register a single Bundesliga point in 2026/27 and sit bottom of the table after five games. Where do the Foals rank for worst starts to a season and what are their chances of survival?
"We had a similar situation last season and we'd all hoped not to be there again," said Gladbach sporting director Rouven Schröder in September after dismissing Eugen Polanski in the wake of four straight defeats. "The current situation isn't good."
Alexander Blessin was brought in to turn things around after the international break, but started his reign with a derby defeat at Cologne to leave the Foals without a win by Matchday 5 for the second season running and the seventh time in their Bundesliga history. Only once before (in 2015/16) had they lost their opening five league matches.
Watch: Cologne 2-1 Gladbach - highlights
Being pointless at this stage, though, is not actually a rare occurrence in the Bundesliga on the whole. Over 64 seasons, 15 teams have had zero points after five matchdays, while well over 50 have been winless.
The longest wait for a first win was set by Nuremberg in 2013/14, who finally tasted victory on Matchday 18.
The record for fewest wins over an entire Bundesliga season stands at two, set by Tasmania Berlin in 1965/66 and matched by Wuppertal in 1974/75.
As you’ll see in the list below, the former also hold the unwanted distinction of playing the worst season in Bundesliga history, amassing only 10 points.
It is still early for this Gladbach vintage, though. Their predecessors of 2025/26 and 2015/16 all managed to stay up after winless starts, as did the classes of 1990/91 and 1991/92.
In addition, history shows that being bottom after Matchday 5 is rarely an indication of a doomed campaign. Since 1963/64, the team occupying last place at this stage has been relegated only 22 times. Over the past 26 years, the bottom team after Matchday 5 has been demoted on only 12 occasions.
Gladbach went on to complete the best turnaround in Bundesliga history in 2015/16, coming back from zero points after five games to finish fourth and qualify for the UEFA Champions League.
Appointing a new coach is also nothing new in this situation. Exactly half of the teams (32/64) who have been bottom after Matchday 5 have had a change in the dugout over the course of the season.
Worst starts to a Bundesliga season by matchday:
Numbers correct following Matchday 5 of 2026/27
*denotes tied on points with other teams
Matchday 1: Schalke, 2020/21 – 0 points*, -8 goal difference
Matchday 2: Schalke, 2020/21 – 0 points*, -10 goal difference
Matchday 3: Schalke, 2020/21 – 0 points*, -14 goal difference
Matchday 4: Karlsruhe, 1963/64 – 0 points*, -13 goal difference
Matchday 5: Karlsruhe, 1963/64 – 0 points*, -15 goal difference
Matchday 6: Bochum, 2022/23 – 0 points*, -14 goal difference
Matchday 7: Eintracht Braunschweig, 2013/14 – 1 point, -15 goal difference
Matchday 8: Bochum, 2022/23 – 1 point*, -18 goal difference
Matchday 9: Bochum, 2024/45 – 1 point*, -20 goal difference
Matchday 10: Saarbrücken, 1963/64 – 1 point*, -21 goal difference
Matchday 11: Greuther Fürth, 2021/22 – 1 point, -21 goal difference
Matchday 12: Greuther Fürth, 2021/22 – 1 point, -25 goal difference
Matchday 13: Greuther Fürth, 2021/22 – 1 point, -28 goal difference
Matchday 14: Greuther Fürth, 2021/22 – 1 point, -34 goal difference
Matchday 15: Cologne, 2017/18 – 3 points, -22 goal difference
Matchday 16: Cologne, 2017/18 – 3 points, -23 goal difference
Matchday 17: Tasmania Berlin, 1965/66 – 4 points, -50 goal difference
Matchday 18: Tasmania Berlin, 1965/66 – 4 points, -53 goal difference
Matchday 19: Tasmania Berlin, 1965/66 – 5 points, -53 goal difference
Matchday 20: Tasmania Berlin, 1965/66 – 5 points, -55 goal difference
Matchday 21: Tasmania Berlin, 1965/66 – 5 points, -59 goal difference
Matchday 22: Tasmania Berlin, 1965/66 – 5 points, -60 goal difference
Matchday 23: Tasmania Berlin, 1965/66 – 5 points, -61 goal difference
Matchday 24: Tasmania Berlin, 1965/66 – 5 points, -66 goal difference
Matchday 25: Tasmania Berlin, 1965/66 – 6 points, -66 goal difference
Matchday 26: Tasmania Berlin, 1965/66 – 6 points, -68 goal difference
Matchday 27: Tasmania Berlin, 1965/66 – 6 points, -77 goal difference
Matchday 28: Tasmania Berlin, 1965/66 – 6 points, -81 goal difference
Matchday 29: Tasmania Berlin, 1965/66 – 7 points, -81 goal difference
Matchday 30: Tasmania Berlin, 1965/66 – 7 points, -85 goal difference
Matchday 31: Tasmania Berlin, 1965/66 – 7 points, -88 goal difference
Matchday 32: Tasmania Berlin, 1965/66 – 7 points, -90 goal difference
Matchday 33: Tasmania Berlin, 1965/66 – 10 points, -89 goal difference
Matchday 34: Tasmania Berlin, 1965/66 – 10 points, -93 goal difference
