Zento Uno is determined to help Borussia Mönchengladbach climb off the bottom of the Bundesliga table after making his competitive debut for the club in the Matchday 5 Rhine derby defeat to Cologne.

The Japanese midfielder joined Gladbach from Shimizu S-Pulse in July, but missed the opening weeks of the 2026/27 campaign with a muscle injury. He came off the bench in last weekend's 2-1 derby loss, as the Foals suffered a fifth consecutive league defeat to start the season.

"It was a difficult period because I was struggling with a muscle injury and couldn't play at first," Uno told the Gladbach website. "At the same time, though, I was able to use that time to settle into my new surroundings and get used to life in Germany."

The two-time Japan international also credited new head coach Alexander Blessin, who replaced Eugen Polanski ahead of the Cologne fixture, for showing faith in him: "The fact that he gave me the chance to play at a difficult time for the team shows that he trusts me. I want to repay that trust."

Watch: Gladbach fell short in Cologne on Matchday 5

Uno believes his combative style can help Gladbach find a way forward, despite admitting he is still adapting to the physical demands of the German game.

"I'm a player who likes getting stuck into challenges and covering a lot of ground. I can work hard out of possession, win second balls and hold my own in challenges," he explained. "My aim is to become more of a goal threat, score goals and provide assists."

Uno is the seventh Japanese national to play for Gladbach in the Bundesliga. - IMAGO/Meng Gao

Gladbach host second-bottom Hoffenheim on Sunday, with Blessin's side desperate to get their campaign up and running and climb off the foot of the table. Five-time Bundesliga champions, the Foals have a proud history and a passionate fanbase, something Uno is keen to do justice to as he looks to help turn their season around.

"Borussia are also a big club with a lot of supporters, so there's a great deal of responsibility on every player," he affirmed. "I know our fans are expecting us to win. As a team, we'll give everything to make that happen. The most important thing for me, though, is that we get the result as a team and take all three points."