23 October 1971 - Those Sheets Need Cleaning Now

On 23 October 1971, Bundesliga leaders Schalke visited defending champions Borussia Mönchengladbach and were crushed, 7-0.

Gladbach had won the league the previous two seasons, but started the day five points behind Schalke. Schalke's run to the top was driven by their strong defense, who had surrendered only three goals so far that season and had just completed their seventh straight clean sheet. But it did not take long for Gladbach to end that streak, as striker Jupp Heynkes scored after only four minutes (pictured).

It was the start of a long day for Schalke keeper Norbert Nigbur, who picked the ball out of his net another four times in the first half alone after goals from Günter Netzer (5'), Hartwig Bleidick (23'), another from Heynckes (29'), and one from Ulrik Le Fevre (36').

With the margin stretched to 5-0 at the break, the match was effectively over as a contest, but Gladbach were not done. In the 52nd minute, Le Fevre scored another by juggling the ball over two Schalke defenders before slamming the ball into the net with a right-footed volley. Netzer then completed the rout with a 64th-minute strike to extend the final margin to 7-0.

As impressive as the victory was, it fell short of the record at the time, set by Gladbach with an 11-0 win over Schalke in 1967 (they beat their own record in 1978 by beating Borussia Dortmund 12-0). Schalke went on to finish as runners-up to Bayern Munich in the league that season, while Gladbach finished in third.

5 August 2005 - There's No Place Like A New Home

On 5 August 2005, Bayern Munich hosted the first competitive match at the new Allianz Arena, beating Borussia Mönchengladbach 3-0.

Built with a capacity of 66,000 (and later expanded to 69,000) the Arena replaced the Olympic Stadium as home to both Bayern and 1860 Munich, and also serves the German national team. In recognition of its multiple tenants, it includes an exterior surface that changes color based on the team playing--red for Bayern, blue for 1860 Munich, and white for the national team.

Construction began in 2002 and the stadium officially opened on 30 May 2005 with an exhibition between 1860 Munich and Nuremberg. Bayern and the German national team faced each other there in a friendly the following day.

In that first competitive match, a Bundesliga contest, Bayern midfielder Owen Hargreaves scored the opening goal, curling a right-footed shot into the far top corner from just inside the box in the 28th minute. His teammate, striker Roy Makaay, doubled, then tripled, the lead with goals in the 86th and 89th minutes.

It was the start of an excellent year for the hosts, who went on to win the double that season, taking both the league title and the German Cup.

9 May 1945 - Heynckes The Hometown Hero

On 9 May 1945, striker Josef "Jupp" Heynckes was born in Mönchengladbach where he went on to become his home team's all-time top scorer.

Heynckes made his professional debut in 1964 with Borussia Mönchengladbach, then in the second-tier Regionalliga West. But his 23 goals in 25 league appearances that first season helped the club earn promotion to the Bundesliga for the following season. He played only two more season there before transferring to Hannover in 1967.

He did well at Hannover, scoring 35 goals in three seasons, but returned to Gladbach for the 1970-71 season which ended with them as league champions. Additional titles followed in 1975, 1976, and 1977--along with the 1975 UEFA Cup--as Heynckes established himself as one of the world's premier strikers. He was the league's top scorer in 1974 and 1975, with 30 and 29 goals, respectively. He retired from playing in 1978 having scored a club record total of 292 goals in 400 appearances for Gladbach (plus another 35 in 101 appearances for Hannover).

He moved immediately into management, taking charge of Gladbach from 1979 to 1987, then again from 2006 to 2007 . His resume includes a long list of other teams, including Athletic Bilbao (twice), Schalke, Benfica, and Real Madrid (with whom he won the Champions League in 1998). He had three separate stints in charge of Bayern Munich, where he won three Bundesliga titles (1989, 1990, and 2013) and another Champions League trophy (2013).

29 April 1978 - It Was A Hell Of An Effort, Though

On 29 April 1978, Borussia Mönchengladbach beat Borussia Dortmund by the Bundesliga record margin of 12-0. And it still wasn't enough.

Gladbach had dominated the league over the previous few years, winning the title in 1970, 1971, 1975, 1976, and 1977. But going into the final day of the 1977-78 season, they were sitting in second place behind Köln. The two teams were level on points, but Köln had a ten-goal advantage in differential and were playing their final match of the season away at the league's last-place team, St. Pauli.

A crowd of 38,000 people showed up at Gladbach's Rheinstadion and watched as the hosts gave their best effort to retain the title. Going up against Dortmund's second-choice keeper, Peter Endrulat--who had reportedly been told earlier in the day that the club was not going to renew his contract--Gladbach built a 6-0 lead by the break with goals from Jupp Heynckes (1', 12', 32'), Carsten Nielsen (13'), Karl Del'Haye (22'), and Herbert Wimmer (38').

At the break, Dortmund manager Otto Rehhagel asked Endrulat if he wanted to come out of the game, but the keeper gamely chose to play on. He later said he wished he hadn't, as Heynckes (59', 77'), Nielsen (61'), Del'Haye (66'), Ewald Lienen (87'), and Christian Kulik (90') proceeded to add another six goals to Gladbach's tally. The 12-0 scoreline remains the highest margin of victory in Bundesliga history, beating the previous record set by Gladbach in their 11-0 win over Schalke in 1967.

Unfortunately for Gladbach, twelve goals weren't enough, as Köln beat St. Pauli 5-0 to preserve a three-goal differential over Gladbach and take the title.

15 December 1952 - The Prince Of Denmark Is Born

On this day in 1952, Danish international striker Allan Simonsen was born in Vejle. He went on to become the first player to score in all three of the European Cup, UEFA Cup, and Cup Winners' Cup finals, and was the first Danish player to be named European Footballer of the Year.

He started his professional career in 1971 with his hometown club, Vejle BK, where he helped the club to the Danish league title in his first season. They repeated as champions in 1972, complemented with a victorious Danish Cup campaign. Simonsen's play drew the attention of defending Bundesliga champions Borussia Mönchengladbach, who signed him later that year.

Although it took his a while to acclimate to his new German surroundings, he ultimately became a key player for his new club, scoring 76 goals in 178 league appearances between 1972 and 1979. Along the way, he won three Bundesliga titles (1975, 1976, 1977), two UEFA Cups (1975, 1979), and one German Cup (1973). They also reached the final of the European Cup in 1977, but lost 3-1 to Liverpool, with Simonsen scored the Germans' lone goal. His performance in that 1976-77 season made him the 1977 European Footballer of the Year.

In 1979, after scoring the winning goal in that year's UEFA Cup Final, he moved to Barcelona. In three seasons there, he added the Copa del Rey (1981) to his silverware collection, then scored another match-winning goal in European competition to beat Standard Liège in the 1982 Cup Winners' Cup.

After a short time with Charlton Athletic (1982-83), Simonsen finished his playing career back in Vejle, winning yet another Danish league title in 1984 before retiring in 1989. He has since moved into management with Vejle (1991-94), the Faroe Islands (1994-2001), and Luxembourg (2001-04), and is currently the general manager for Danish club FC Fredericia.

10 November 2009 - The Death Of Robert Enke

On 10 November 2009, after years of battling with depression, German goalkeeper Robert Enke committed suicide. He was 32 years old.

Enke started his professional career in 1995 with his hometown club, Carl Zeiss Jena, and later spent time with Borussia Mönchengladbach (1996-99), Benfica (1999-2002), and Barcelona (2002-04, including loan spells with Fenerbahçe and Tenerife), before joining Hannover 96 in 2004.

He made his first appearance for the German national team in 1997, but spent most of his international career behind Oliver Kahn and Jens Lehmann. When Lehmann retired in 2008, Enke became Germany's starting keeper, but was sidelined by injuries, including a bacterial infection that forced him to miss matches in September and October 2009. Nevertheless, before his death that November, he was the leading candidate to start for Germany in the 2010 World Cup.

Enke killed himself by standing in front of a train on a ground level crossing. He left a note, though the contents have never been disclosed publicly. Afterward, it was revealed that he had suffered from depression for many years, prompted in part by the death of his 2-year old daughter in 2006. He was survived by his wife Teresa and adopted daughter Leila.

23 October 2010 - Pizarro Conquers A Bundesliga Record

On 23 October 2010, Peruvian forward Claudio Pizarro became the Bundesliga's all-time leading foreign goalscorer with a strike against Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Pizarro moved to the Bundesliga in 1999 with Werder Bremen, then moved to Bayern Munich in 2001. Between the two, he scored 100 league goals before moving to Chelsea in 2007. His time in London was brief, however, as he returned to Werder Bremen on loan in 2008, then on a permanent transfer in 2009.

His second spell in Bremen started successfully, with the club winning the DFB-Pokal and reaching the UEFA Cup final in 2009, then finishing third in the league in 2010. But they struggled at the start of the 2010-11 season, winning only three of their first eight matches when they traveled to Mönchengladbach. At the time, Pizarro was tied with his former Bayern teammate Élber Giovane as the league's record foreign goalscorers with 133 each.

The match was no contest. After only 12 minutes, the visitors were up 0-2 with goals from Marko Marin (5') and Wesley (12'), then Aaron Hunt stretched the lead to 0-3 in the 51st minute. The hosts got a slight lift when Werder center back Per Mertesacker put the ball into his own net in the 67th minute, but Pizarro restored the margin with his record-setting strike in the 75th minute. It was a rare bright spot in the season for Werder, who finished in 13th place.

Pizarro, who is in his fourth spell with Werder Bremen, has a current tally of 190 Bundesliga goals, making him the fifth highest scorer in league history.

1 August 1978 - Boca Make Bridesmaids Of Borussia

On 1 August 1978, Boca Juniors won their second international trophy, beating Borussia Mönchengladbach over two legs in the Intercontinental Cup. Despite the date, it was actually the 1977 edition.

The Argentinian team earned the right to play in the competition by winning their first international trophy--the Copa Libertadores--the year before. As the Intercontinental Cup was designed to pit the Copa Libertadores champion against the European Cup winner, they should have faced Liverpool, who won the 1977 European Cup over Mönchengladbach. But Liverpool declined the invitation, opening it up for the German side.

They met in Buenos Aires for the first leg on 21 March and battled to a 2-2 draw at La Bombanera to set up the decisive second leg in Germany. Playing before a crowd of 38,000 at the Wildparkstadion in Karlsruhe, the visitors quickly staked their claim to the trophy with a goal from striker Darío Felman in just the 2nd minute. A second goal followed in the 33rd minute when the ball fell at the feet of striker Ernesto Mastrángelo just inches outside the German goal for him to easily tap home. Four minutes later, Boca midfielder Carlos Salinas (pictured) all but settled the tie when he beat the German keeper one-on-one from the middle of the box.

With more than a half remaining, the Germans applied tremendous attacking pressure while players made flying and diving tackles all over the pitch. Boca's defense refused to break, however, and they claimed the win by the score of 0-3.

Boca won the Intercontinental Cup again in 2000 and 2003, while Mönchengladbach never returned to the competition.

24 March 1949 - No Kremers Versus Kremers

On 24 March 1949, Helmut and Erwin Kremers were born in Mönchengladbach. They went on to become German internationals and the first twins to play in the Bundesliga.

Both of them started their careers as youth players with their hometown team, Borussia Mönchengladbach, then joined the club as professionals in 1967. They continued as teammates at other clubs. moving to Kickers Offenbach in 1969, then to Schalke in 1971. Erwin, a striker, retired in 1979, but Helmut, a full back, played for three more years, remaining with Schalke until 1980 then spending time with Rot-Weiss Essen (1980-81), the Calgary Boomers (1981) and the Memphis Americans (1981-82).

Virtually inseparable at the club level, the brothers played together only twice on the international stage. Erwin made 15 appearances for West Germany between 1972 and 1974, winning the 1972 European Championship. Helmut received a later a call-up and got fewer caps--8 between 1973 and 1975--but was part of West Germany's World Cup-winning side in 1974. 

Despite their footballing accomplishments, they are widely remembered for their 1974 record release, "Das Mädchen Meiner Träume," which translates to "The Girl of My Dreams." The B-side was apparently titled "Mo-Di-Mi-Do," which I assume needs no translation.

23 October 1971 - Those Sheets Need Cleaning Now

On 23 October 1971, Bundesliga leaders Schalke visited defending champions Borussia Mönchengladbach and were crushed, 7-0.

Gladbach had won the league the previous two seasons, but started the day five points behind Schalke. Schalke's run to the top was driven by their strong defense, who had surrendered only three goals so far that season and had just completed their seventh straight clean sheet. But it did not take long for Gladbach to end that streak, as striker Jupp Heynkes scored after only four minutes (pictured).

It was the start of a long day for Schalke keeper Norbert Nigbur, who picked the ball out of his net another four times in the first half alone after goals from Günter Netzer (5'), Hartwig Bleidick (23'), another from Heynckes (29'), and one from Ulrik Le Fevre (36').

With the margin stretched to 5-0 at the break, the match was effectively over as a contest, but Gladbach were not done. In the 52nd minute, Le Fevre scored another by juggling the ball over two Schalke defenders before slamming the ball into the net with a right-footed volley. Netzer then completed the rout with a 64th-minute strike to extend the final margin to 7-0.

As impressive as the victory was, it fell short of the record at the time, set by Gladbach with an 11-0 win over Schalke in 1967 (they beat their own record in 1978 by beating Borussia Dortmund 12-0). Schalke went on to finish as runners-up to Bayern Munich in the league that season, while Gladbach finished in third.

5 August 2005 - There's No Place Like A New Home

On 5 August 2005, Bayern Munich hosted the first competitive match at the new Allianz Arena, beating Borussia Mönchengladbach 3-0.

Built with a capacity of 66,000 (and later expanded to 69,000) the Arena replaced the Olympic Stadium as home to both Bayern and 1860 Munich, and also serves the German national team. In recognition of its multiple tenants, it includes an exterior surface that changes color based on the team playing--red for Bayern, blue for 1860 Munich, and white for the national team.

Construction began in 2002 and the stadium officially opened on 30 May 2005 with an exhibition between 1860 Munich and Nuremberg. Bayern and the German national team faced each other there in a friendly the following day.

In that first competitive match, a Bundesliga contest, Bayern midfielder Owen Hargreaves scored the opening goal, curling a right-footed shot into the far top corner from just inside the box in the 28th minute. His teammate, striker Roy Makaay, doubled, then tripled, the lead with goals in the 86th and 89th minutes.

It was the start of an excellent year for the hosts, who went on to win the double that season, taking both the league title and the German Cup.

9 May 1945 - Heynckes The Hometown Hero

On 9 May 1945, striker Josef "Jupp" Heynckes was born in Mönchengladbach where he went on to become his home team's all-time top scorer.

Heynckes made his professional debut in 1964 with Borussia Mönchengladbach, then in the second-tier Regionalliga West. But his 23 goals in 25 league appearances that first season helped the club earn promotion to the Bundesliga for the following season. He played only two more season there before transferring to Hannover in 1967.

He did well at Hannover, scoring 35 goals in three seasons, but returned to Gladbach for the 1970-71 season which ended with them as league champions. Additional titles followed in 1975, 1976, and 1977--along with the 1975 UEFA Cup--as Heynckes established himself as one of the world's premier strikers. He was the league's top scorer in 1974 and 1975, with 30 and 29 goals, respectively. He retired from playing in 1978 having scored a club record total of 292 goals in 400 appearances for Gladbach (plus another 35 in 101 appearances for Hannover).

He moved immediately into management, taking charge of Gladbach from 1979 to 1987, then again from 2006 to 2007 . His resume includes a long list of other teams, including Athletic Bilbao (twice), Schalke, Benfica, and Real Madrid (with whom he won the Champions League in 1998). He is currently in his third stint as manager of Bayern Munich, where he won the Bundesliga in 1989 and 1990.

29 April 1978 - It Was A Hell Of An Effort, Though

On 29 April 1978, Borussia Mönchengladbach beat Borussia Dortmund by the Bundesliga record margin of 12-0. And it still wasn't enough.

Gladbach had dominated the league over the previous few years, winning the title in 1970, 1971, 1975, 1976, and 1977. But going into the final day of the 1977-78 season, they were sitting in second place behind Köln. The two teams were level on points, but Köln had a ten-goal advantage in differential and were playing their final match of the season away at the league's last-place team, St. Pauli.

A crowd of 38,000 people showed up at Gladbach's Rheinstadion and watched as the hosts gave their best effort to retain the title. Going up against Dortmund's second-choice keeper, Peter Endrulat--who had reportedly been told earlier in the day that the club was not going to renew his contract--Gladbach built a 6-0 lead by the break with goals from Jupp Heynckes (1', 12', 32'), Carsten Nielsen (13'), Karl Del'Haye (22'), and Herbert Wimmer (38').

At the break, Dortmund manager Otto Rehhagel asked Endrulat if he wanted to come out of the game, but the keeper gamely chose to play on. He later said he wished he hadn't, as Heynckes (59', 77'), Nielsen (61'), Del'Haye (66'), Ewald Lienen (87'), and Christian Kulik (90') proceeded to add another six goals to Gladbach's tally. The 12-0 scoreline remains the highest margin of victory in Bundesliga history, beating the previous record set by Gladbach in their 11-0 win over Schalke in 1967.

Unfortunately for Gladbach, twelve goals weren't enough, as Köln beat St. Pauli 5-0 to preserve a three-goal differential over Gladbach and take the title.

24 March 1949 - No Kremers Versus Kremers

On 24 March 1949, Helmut and Erwin Kremers were born in Mönchengladbach. They went on to become German internationals and the first twins to play in the Bundesliga.

Both of them started their careers as youth players with their hometown team, Borussia Mönchengladbach, then joined the club as professionals in 1967. They continued as teammates at other clubs. moving to Kickers Offenbach in 1969, then to Schalke in 1971. Erwin, a striker, retired in 1979, but Helmut, a full back, played for three more years, remaining with Schalke until 1980 then spending time with Rot-Weiss Essen (1980-81), the Calgary Boomers (1981) and the Memphis Americans (1981-82).

Virtually inseparable at the club level, the brothers played together only twice on the international stage. Erwin made 15 appearances for West Germany between 1972 and 1974, winning the 1972 European Championship. Helmut received a later a call-up and got fewer caps--8 between 1973 and 1975--but was part of West Germany's World Cup-winning side in 1974.

Despite their footballing accomplishments, they are widely remembered for their 1974 record release, "Das Mädchen Meiner Träume," which translates to "The Girl of My Dreams." The B-side was apparently titled "Mo-Di-Mi-Do," which, I assume, needs no translation.

15 December 1952 - The Prince Of Denmark

On this day in 1952, Danish international striker Allan Simonsen was born in Vejle. He went on to become the first player to score in all three of the European Cup, UEFA Cup, and Cup Winners' Cup finals, and was the first Danish player to be named European Footballer of the Year.

He started his professional career in 1971 with his hometown club, Vejle BK, where he helped the club to the Danish league title in his first season. They repeated as champions in 1972, complemented with a victorious Danish Cup campaign. Simonsen's play drew the attention of defending Bundesliga champions Borussia Mönchengladbach, who signed him later that year.

Although it took his a while to acclimate to his new German surroundings, he ultimately became a key player for his new club, scoring 76 goals in 178 league appearances between 1972 and 1979. Along the way, he won three Bundesliga titles (1975, 1976, 1977), two UEFA Cups (1975, 1979), and one German Cup (1973). They also reached the final of the European Cup in 1977, but lost 3-1 to Liverpool, with Simonsen scored the Germans' lone goal. His performance in that 1976-77 season made him the 1977 European Footballer of the Year.

In 1979, after scoring the winning goal in that year's UEFA Cup Final, he moved to Barcelona. In three seasons there, he added the Copa del Rey (1981) to his silverware collection, then scored another match-winning goal in European competition to beat Standard Liège in the 1982 Cup Winners' Cup.

After a short time with Charlton Athletic (1982-83), Simonsen finished his playing career back in Vejle, winning yet another Danish league title in 1984 before retiring in 1989. He has since moved into management with Vejle (1991-94), the Faroe Islands (1994-2001), and Luxembourg (2001-04), and is currently the general manager for Danish club FC Fredericia.

10 November 2009 - The Death Of Robert Enke

On 10 November 2009, after years of battling with depression, German goalkeeper Robert Enke committed suicide. He was 32 years old.

Enke started his professional career in 1995 with his hometown club, Carl Zeiss Jena, and later spent time with Borussia Mönchengladbach (1996-99), Benfica (1999-2002), and Barcelona (2002-04, including loan spells with Fenerbahçe and Tenerife), before joining Hannover 96 in 2004.

He made his first appearance for the German national team in 1997, but spent most of his international career behind Oliver Kahn and Jens Lehmann. When Lehmann retired in 2008, Enke became Germany's starting keeper, but was sidelined by injuries, including a bacterial infection that forced him to miss matches in September and October 2009. Nevertheless, before his death that November, he was the leading candidate to start for Germany in the 2010 World Cup.

Enke killed himself by standing in front of a train on a ground level crossing. He left a note, though the contents have never been disclosed publicly. Afterward, it was revealed that he had suffered from depression for many years, prompted in part by the death of his 2-year old daughter in 2006. He was survived by his wife Teresa and adopted daughter Leila.

23 October 2010 - Pizarro Conquers A Bundesliga Record

On 23 October 2010, Peruvian forward Claudio Pizarro became the Bundesliga's all-time leading foreign goalscorer with a strike against Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Pizarro moved to the Bundesliga in 1999 with Werder Bremen, then moved to Bayern Munich in 2001. Between the two, he scored 100 league goals before moving to Chelsea in 2007. His time in London was brief, however, as he returned to Werder Bremen on loan in 2008, then on a permanent transfer in 2009.

His second spell in Bremen started successfully, with the club winning the DFB-Pokal and reaching the UEFA Cup final in 2009, then finishing third in the league in 2010. But they struggled at the start of the 2010-11 season, winning only three of their first eight matches when they traveled to Mönchengladbach. At the time, Pizarro was tied with his former Bayern teammate Élber Giovane as the league's record foreign goalscorers with 133 each.

The match was no contest. After only 12 minutes, the visitors were up 0-2 with goals from Marko Marin (5') and Wesley (12'), then Aaron Hunt stretched the lead to 0-3 in the 51st minute. The hosts got a slight lift when Werder center back Per Mertesacker put the ball into his own net in the 67th minute, but Pizarro restored the margin with his record-setting strike in the 75th minute. It was a rare bright spot in the season for Werder, who finished in 13th place.

Pizarro still plays for Werder Bremen and has since added to his total--he now has a current tally of 145 Bundesliga goals.

1 August 1978 - Boca Make Bridesmaids Of Borussia

On 1 August 1978, Boca Juniors won their second international trophy, beating Borussia Mönchengladbach over two legs in the Intercontinental Cup. Despite the date, it was actually the 1977 edition.

The Argentinian team earned the right to play in the competition by winning their first international trophy--the Copa Libertadores--the year before. As the Intercontinental Cup was designed to pit the Copa Libertadores champion against the European Cup winner, they should have faced Liverpool, who won the 1977 European Cup over Mönchengladbach. But Liverpool declined the invitation, opening it up for the German side.

They met in Buenos Aires for the first leg on 21 March and battled to a 2-2 draw at La Bombanera to set up the decisive second leg in Germany. Playing before a crowd of 38,000 at the Wildparkstadion in Karlsruhe, the visitors quickly staked their claim to the trophy with a goal from striker Darío Felman in just the 2nd minute. A second goal followed in the 33rd minute when the ball fell at the feet of striker Ernesto Mastrángelo just inches outside the German goal for him to easily tap home. Four minutes later, Boca midfielder Carlos Salinas (pictured) all but settled the tie when he beat the German keeper one-on-one from the middle of the box.

With more than a half remaining, the Germans applied tremendous attacking pressure while players made flying and diving tackles all over the pitch. Boca's defense refused to break, however, and they claimed the win by the score of 0-3.

Boca won the Intercontinental Cup again in 2000 and 2003, while Mönchengladbach never returned to the competition.