😡 Row at the press conference as Bundesliga coach completely loses his cool | OneFootball

Actually, Gladbach's coach Eugen Polanski had no reason to be upset after his team's victory at FSV Mainz 05: The sporting direction is right, and Borussia seems to have really recovered after the horror start to this season.

Nevertheless, the 39-year-old drew attention to himself after the game with a bizarre confrontation at the press conference – and caused negative headlines around his person. It all started when Mainz's press officer, Silke Bannick, refused the sportsmanlike handshake with the Gladbach coach.

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Her reasoning: She found it inappropriate how much Polanski, together with sports director Rouven Schröder, celebrated the three points after the final whistle. Both have a past with Mainz. The 44-year-old's conclusion: It's inappropriate to celebrate so much when the former club is currently in acute relegation trouble at the very bottom of the table. She has known Polanski and Schröder "forever." However, due to the frenzy of jubilation, the Gladbach coach, whom she referred to as her "dear Pola," apparently shot himself out of favor with her for the time being.

The conflict did not end with the refused handshake but continued – and in front of running cameras!

Before the press conference, according to the 'Allgemeine Zeitung', Polanski even asked the press officer, "whether it's the hormones or not" – important to know: Silke Bannick is currently heavily pregnant. A statement that can truly be considered inappropriate.

It continued during the official part: First, Bannick referred to Polanski as the "coach from the Upper Rhine," although the Foals are usually known as the team from the Lower Rhine. Whether intentional or not – it added fuel to the fire. After Polanski's introduction by the Mainz press officer, the Gladbach coach snapped at her – clearly audible for all present and the cameras: "You don't need to look at me like that."

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Polanski did not want to simply let this crisis-ridden press conference intermezzo sit, even after the media round ended, and commented to 'Bild' as follows: "I found it disrespectful that she refused to shake my hand, I told her that too. Then she wanted to tell me that her hands were full – to which I told her that she was first disrespectful and then also lying. But I'm quite relaxed about it, it will be fine again."

In the end, there was relaxation again, which one would have expected during the press conference following an away victory of one's own team.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

📸 Alex Grimm - 2025 Getty Images