Borussia Mönchengladbach not expecting Franck Honorat and Rocco Reitz back before end of March | OneFootball

Sport Bild reports the Borussia Mönchengladbach aren’t preparing to welcome two key players back until after the March international break. The Bundesliga’s 8th-placed side will have to do without influential attacker Franck Honorat and Rocco Reitz for up to five forthcoming league fixtures.

Honorat has been missing for the entire current calendar year with a metatarsal fracture. Reitz underwent toe surgery after sustaining injury in a match-19 victory over VfL Bochum late last month. The German tabloid cites its own internal sources to claim that Reitz’s downtime is longer than initially reported.

Gerardo Seoane’s foals immediately felt Honorat’s absence. The french right-wing attacker developed a noticeable understanding with lead striker Tim Kleindienst, furnishing several spectacular assists on Kleindienst’s goals late in the year. Gladbach score just two goals in three straight losses to begin 2025.

The Niederrheiner have since bounced back to take seven points from their subsequent three Bundesliga fixtures and are back in the hunt for Europe. Reitz’s absence has been absorbed by quality performances from Nathan Ngoumou, Julian Weigl, and (most recently) Florian Neuhaus.

Such news nevertheless serves as most unwelcome as Seoane’s side’s upcoming schedule (Union Berlin, Augsburg, Heidenheim, Mainz, and Werder Bremen) accords them the best chance to pick up points in their quest to qualify for Europe for the first time since the 2019/20 campaign.

Bild notes that Honorat will begin light treadmill work this week. Reitz’s recovery from surgery has, per the paper, taken longer than expected. The club apparently plans to potentially get both actors back in time for the round 27 fixture against RB Leipzig on March 29th.

GGFN | Peter Weis