Borussia Mönchengladbach earned a 0-0 draw against second-placed RB Leipzig in the opening fixture of the Bundesliga's 12th matchday. The result hinders Leipzig's chase of leaders Bayern München. Gladbach fans protested against proposed security measures at kickoff.
The goalless draw between Borussia Mönchengladbach and RB Leipzig kicked off the 12th matchday of the men's Bundesliga. For the second-placed side from Leipzig, the dropped points represent a setback in their pursuit of Bayern München, who could extend their lead to eight points by the weekend. Mönchengladbach thus ended a run of four consecutive wins but further distanced themselves from the relegation zone following a disastrous start to the season.
The match remained balanced with few scoring opportunities before halftime. Leipzig's attacks foundered against Gladbach's solid defense, highlighted by a long-range effort from Conrad Harder from nearly 30 meters (36th minute) that posed the main threat. The hosts struggled with inaccuracies in build-up play and rarely threatened themselves.
Shortly after the break, Franck Honorat's goal for Mönchengladbach was disallowed for offside via VAR (47th minute). The Foals then took control with quick transitions, while Leipzig waited until the 58th minute for their first corner, which yielded no danger. The visitors pressed harder toward the end, but Gladbach's backline held firm. Coach Eugen Polanski benefited from two VAR calls: the offside ruling and the overturning of a penalty kick (74th minute).
Before kickoff, fans in the Borussia-Park continued the league-wide protest. Banners in the fan section read: 'No to the plans of the Interior Ministers' Conference. Interior Minister Reul: No resolutions against our fan culture.' Support from the curva was absent for 12 minutes, with spectators raising white sheets marked 'No.' Supporters fear measures like personalized tickets or harsher stadium bans, set to be discussed at the Interior Ministers' Conference next week in Bremen.