Borussia Mönchengladbach’s 17-year-old attacking sensation Wael Mohya has apologized to VfB Stuttgart supporters for a provocative celebration during Friday evening’s dramatic 3-2 Bundesliga victory. Speaking to BILD after the match, the teenager admitted that he had deliberately celebrated in front of the Stuttgart supporters and subsequently regretted his actions.
Mohya played a decisive role in helping Gladbach end their six-match losing streak. With his side trailing early, the youngster helped spark the comeback before producing an outstanding individual run to set up Shuto Machino’s 51st-minute goal.
As Get German Football News reported from the MHPArena, Mohya subsequently took a bow in front of the Stuttgart supporters’ section. The gesture provoked an angry reaction from the home fans, who whistled the teenager as he continued to impress on the ball.
Mohya has now acknowledged that the celebration was both deliberate and inappropriate, though the youngster clearly got carried away in the heat of the moment.
“I wanted to apologize to the Stuttgart fans,” Mohya told BILD. “Of course, I knew exactly what I was doing. It was a stupid mistake. But I think everyone makes mistakes sometimes, and my emotions simply boiled over in that moment.”
Mohya follows in the footsteps of recent Bundesliga celebration controversy
The incident comes less than two weeks after another contentious goal celebration involving Borussia Mönchengladbach. During Gladbach’s 2-1 Rhein-Derby defeat against 1. FC Köln on October 11, Joe Scally celebrated his equalizer in front of the home supporters. Köln matchwinner Said El Mala subsequently explained t that his own provocative celebration was an act of retaliation.
El Mala described his gesture as a response to what he considered inappropriate behavior from the Gladbach players, emphasizing that celebrating in front of opposing supporters was unacceptable. Friday’s incident in Stuttgart therefore represented another occasion on which a Gladbach player’s celebrations became a talking point, although Mohya was quick to acknowledge his mistake.
Scally, who scored himself in the Stuttgart victory and assisted on Mohya’s goal, wasn’t the one at the center of the controversy this time.
Teenager’s apology follows outstanding Gladbach performance
The controversy should not overshadow the significance of Mohya’s performance. The 17-year-old tormented Stuttgart’s defenders throughout the evening and ultimately finished with a goal and an assist as Gladbach recorded their first points of the Bundesliga season.
After creating Machino’s goal with an exceptional piece of dribbling, Mohya added Gladbach’s third in the 66th minute. Joe Scally recovered a loose ball following a scramble inside the Stuttgart penalty area and sent it back across goal for the youngster to head home.
Mohya’s display earned him GGFN’s Bundesliga Player of the Match award, with the teenager receiving a rating of eight out of ten. Scally also received an eight following his equalizer and contribution to Gladbach’s third goal.
The attacking midfielder was substituted in the 71st minute after suffering a knock to his thigh. Speaking afterward, Mohya indicated that the problem was minor and that supporters need not worry about his fitness.
For Gladbach, Friday’s victory marked an important breakthrough after six consecutive defeats. For Mohya, it also provided another demonstration of his remarkable potential, albeit with a moment of youthful exuberance that the teenager was willing to acknowledge and apologize for afterward.