Need to know more about the Bundesliga? Here's your essential guide to each team.
Bayern Munich
Currently sat top of the league, Bayern Munich will be looking to defend their title for the 7th time in a row. After a poor start to the season, with only 5 wins in 10 games and sat 4th, the club parted ways with Niko Kovac and replaced him with Hansi Flick. An increase in performances see the Bavarians top of the league by 4 points. Since the arrival of the new coach, a high press possession style of play has been reinstated.
Star Player: Robert Lewandowski has 25 goals in 23 games this season despite being 31 years old.
Player to watch out for: Alphonso Davies, the Canadian youngster has really thrived in the left back role where his pace and power allows him to be solid defensively and also a threat offensively as well.
Borussia Dortmund
Lucien Favre’s Dortmund side are just 4 points a drift from Bayern and will be looking to catch up within the coming weeks. In the first half of the season, Dortmund were affected by a lack of consistency and the ability to see out results. Despite this, since the winter break BVB have been stronger and have been able to enjoy a winning run with 7 wins in the last 8. Throughout the rest of the season, expect goals. Favre’s side have had 29 goals since the winter break and since the signing of Haaland they have been even stronger.
Star Player: Jadon Sancho, the English youngster has 14 goals and 15 assists, which is the most goal contributions in the Bundesliga.
Player to watch out for: Achraf Hakimi has played predominantly RWB for Dortmund and has showed his athletic skills getting forward and backwards, already contributing 3 goals and 10 assists. Real Madrid will be looking to get him fighting Carvajal for the right back spot once his loan finishes.
RB Leipzig
Another side that has seen as a rise since the take over by Red Bull, Leipzig find themselves 5 points off Bayern and 1 point behind Dortmund. At the winter break, the side coached by Julian Nagelsmann were sat top of the league. However a stutter in form with 4 draws in their last 6 sees them 3rd. This could be down to Nagelsmann’s high demands involving a quick press and transition. The side have also reached the quarter finals in the Champions League for the first time ever.
Star Player: Timo Werner has been being watched by many top teams for a while, however the German has improved even more this season. 21 goals and 7 assists in 25 games.
Player to watch out for: Dayot Upamecano is another French centre back with high potential and has been linked with £50m moves into the Premier League. Using his pace and strength, the towering defender can get out of trouble using his power.
Borussia Monchengladbach
Borussia Monchengladbach started the season strong and spent time in the top spot with their best tally in over 40 years. They’ve continued to win games with an attractive style of play based on those of Jurgen Klopp’s. Marco Rose establishes possession with the emphasis of moving the ball through defensive lines to exploit Alassane Plea and Marcus Thuram’s pace up top, while also setting pressing traps.
Star Player: Marcus Thuram has impressed during his first campaign in the Bundesliga, netting 6 goals and getting 8 assists, for a 22-year-old that only cost £10.5m in this market it’s a steal.
Player to watch out for: Matthias Ginter is a 26-year-old defender that can play both as right back and centre back, has shown his consistency at the back this season and could be on the radar for other teams.
Bayer Leverkusen
Leverkusen were having a fairly average season before the winter break but have recently clicked into gear, dropping just 5 points in their last 8 matches. The team managed by Peter Bosz constantly changes between systems and personnel however his tactical plan still stays the same. They try to control the game, averaging 60% possession per match and they patiently build out of defence. If possession is lost, they press high with intensity, which can be very effective.
Star Player: Kai Havertz is a young attacking midfielder that has been heavily linked to the likes of Man City and Liverpool. His ability to break the lines and pick out a pass, while also being strong enough to protect the ball with ease.
Player to watch out for: Moussa Diaby plays out wide, using his pace, agility and stamina to a real advantage in the high press. His passing ability is portrayed when keeping the ball to create a gap in the defence.
Schalke
Schalke started the season strong with the aim to push for a top 4 place however a winless seven game streak before the suspension of football meant that they are 12 points away from Gladbach in 4th. Managed by Wagner, his tactics are much different from what they were at Huddersfield. He plays with the emphasize on a high press and a quick counter attack when they win the ball. Without a real striker, they’ve only managed 33 goals in 25 games.
Star Player: Suat Serdar is a 23-year-old midfielder that managed to get his first cap for the German national side, thanks to his solid club performances.
Player to watch out for: Ozan Kabak is a Turkish centre back who has been a consistent performer for Wagner’s side using his agility and physical attributes to win the ball back and start quick counters.
Wolfsburg
Manager, Oliver Glasner started the season with a club-record nine game unbeaten run however a poor run recently sees them sit 7th. With only 1 win in 5 games they’ve dropped down however. They are a team that plays an aggressive press and this break could allow them to be refreshed and pick up points again.
Star Player: Wout Weghorst is Wolfsburg’s key attacking threat as without the Dutch striker the side would undoubtedly be outside the European places as the 27-year-old has a third of the team’s goals.
Player to watch out for: Xaver Schlager is a young centre midfielder who has won 4 league titles with RB Salzburg and in his 8 games for the Bundesliga outfit he has impressed.
Freiburg
Freiburg have had an impressive season, in which they’ve defied the odds at the start of the season. Originally tipped for relegation, they began superbly with 14 points from the first 21 available. However the winter break halted momentum and since then they’ve only managed 9 points in 2020. Freiburg play a very attractive brand of football since they switched to a back 3 midway through the season, allowing high wingbacks to create overloads, similar to Sheffield United.
Star Player: Robin Koch, the 23-year-old centre half has been the rock in Freiburg’s defence, starting 24 out of a possible 25 games, also getting his first Germany cap.
Player to watch out for: Alexander Schwolow has been an ever present for the Freiburg side and his quick reflexes has kept them in the game. As a goalkeeper at only 27, he still has a while to go.
Hoffenheim
Hoffenheim have struggled with consistency during the season so far with Alfred Schreuder’s side having defeated Bayern Munich, Dortmund and Leverkusen but lost to Augsburg and Mainz. The Dutch manager has followed a highly respected Julian Nagelsmann and he has struggled to find the right tactics. He has gone between 4 at the back and 3 at the back as he struggles to stamp his authority on the side.
Star Player: Sebastian Rudy is a club legend at Hoffenheim and he is the glue that binds Schreuder’s side together. His 219th appearance for the side is a club record.
Player to watch out for: Christoph Baumgartner is a 20-year-old attacking midfielder, who deserves a lot of credit and no doubt will move to a big club in the future. In 17 games this season he’s been involved in 7 goals.
FC Koln
The newly-promoted side looked to be in danger after losing 8 of the opening 11. However when Achim Beierlozer was dismissed and replaced with Markus Gisdol, the German coach managed to steer the club up the table and they now sit 10 points clear of the drop zone. He didn’t make massive changes however after his appointment, he instilled belief and confidence in the side. The team that are strong in attack, scoring 3 or more goals on 4 occasions in the second half of the season. They are an exciting team for the neutral to watch.
Star Player: Jhon Cordoba didn’t actually open his account until November 30th but since then he has struck 9 times in 12 matches.
Player to watch out for: Timo Horn is a consistent goalkeeper who always averages an 8/10 rating every week. He’s a fan favourite because he turned down other moves when the club were relegated.
Union Berlin
Union Berlin achieved their first ever promotion to the Bundesliga last season and they were tipped to go straight back down. However they have ground out wins consistently and are 8 points clear of the drop zone. The side don’t play an attractive brand of football and they play a 5 back with the intention to sit back and hit sides on the counter attack.
Star Player: Rafael Gikiewicz has been exceptional for the Bundesliga debutants and has kept out 94 shots so far this season, only Gladbach’s Yann Sommer can better that figure.
Player to watch out for: Christopher Trimmel is a strong right back that is a big fan of a sliding tackle. The strong, physical defender is a veteran with a long throw-in, which matches the physical side that Union Berlin are.
Eintracht Frankfurt
Since losing their best attacking threats, Rebic, Jovic and Haller it was always going to be a tough season for Eintracht. Their inability to have consistency in results have led to them being lower down the table than they would have wanted. They started the season using 3 at the back however recently changed to 4 to try and reinvigorate the side. It had instant success, going 4 games unbeaten however they've lost their last 3 in a row.
Star Player: Filip Kostic has stepped up since the loss of the other attackers and he has recorded 12 goals and 15 assists from the wing.
Player to watch out for: Danny da Costa plays as a RB for the Frankfurt side and uses his pace and strength to get out of trouble while also being a threat offensively.
Hertha Berlin
Hertha Berlin haven’t had as good a season as they would’ve expected and after a disappointing run of results they replaced Ante Covic with Jurgen Klinsmann but he lasted 3 months and was replaced by Alexander Nouri, his assistant. During the suspension they brought in Labbadia and his job is to get them where the fans expected at the start. Labbadia wont have had much time with the players so he may find it tricky to get his ideas across.
Star Player: Matheus Cunha joined the club in January from RB Leipzig and in the 4 games he could play, he got 2 goals and 1 assist. He will look to continue the tally.
Player to watch out for: Rune Jarstein, the reliable veteran keeper, is still on top of his game at the age of 35.
Augsburg
After a poor start to the season, Augsburg went on a run picking up 16 points from a possible 18 between November and December to move clear of the drop zone. Despite this run, their form in the second half of the season has been awful and cost Martin Schmidt his job. Much like Hertha, it’s a challenge to see what the Manager could change because he is yet to take charge of a game.
Star Player: Florian Niederlechner is without a doubt, Augsburg’s star player. The striker has grabbed 11 goals and his form has resulted in many top sides taking interest.
Player to watch out for: Phillip Max is a left midfielder-cum-left back that uses his pace and passing to combine with Niederlechner, providing assists with his crosses.
Mainz
A rough beginning to the campaign saw Sandro Schwarz depart in November. His replacement was Beierlorzer, who had nine days earlier left Koln, and the 52-year-old coach has steadied the ship. Mainz have been something of an all or nothing side this season; they have drawn just two of their 25 Bundesliga games. Beierlorzer did pivot to a back three system in the five matches before football was suspended. It resulted in just one defeat for Mainz which suggests it’s a shape that is here to stay.
Star Player: Robin Quaison. The Swedish striker has enjoyed a breakout campaign. He has struck 12 goals in the Bundesliga, without which Mainz would likely be in the drop zone.
Player to watch out for: Jean-Phillipe Mateta is a striker and focal point for the Mainz attack. The 6ft 4, 22-year-old is fast and strong and is difficult to play against.
Fortuna Dusseldorf
Just four wins in the first half of the campaign saw Fortuna go into the winter break in the relegation play-off spot. Friedhelm Funkel was, unsurprisingly, sacked shortly after the restart and in came Rosler. In his six games in charge, the club have lost just once. The signs are promising. Rosler decided to do away with Funkel’s 4-3-3 shape after his appointment and instead switched to a 3-5-2 system with an emphasis on attacking play.
Star Player: Rouwen Hennings. The 32-year-old has struck eleven goals this season. Admittedly they all came before the winter break but without them Fortuna would be eight points worse off.
Player to watch out for: Kaan Ayhan is a centre back that uses his leadership to help be the rock defensively. He has a bullet header making him a threat at corners.
Werder Bremen
It’s been something of a disaster. Werder have scored the joint-fewest goals of any side, 27, and have conceded a league-high 55. Their 39-year stay in the Bundesliga is at serious risk. Werder have stuck by Kohfeldt all season but no matter whether utilising a back three, a four-man defence, a lone striker or a front two, the 37-year-old coach has been unable to find a winning formula. Unlike others, Werder have kept Kohfeldt at the helm during football’s suspension which suggest he’ll be given until the end of the season at least.
Star Player: Milot Rashica. The Albanian winger has been a rare bright spot in a disappointing season. He has struck seven goals and attracted interest from Liverpool.
Player to watch out for: Maximillian Eggstein is a box to box midfielder who's a confident long shot taker, that dives into tackles as well. His good stamina means he can be 100% for the whole game, and at only 23 he will improve.
Paderborn
Given Paderborn’s recent history - they tumbled from the Bundesliga to the third tier only to then instantly rise back up the divisions - few expected the club to survive this term. Ten points adrift of safety, a return to 2.Bundesliga appears likely. Paderborn may be bottom of the pile but they have stayed true to the attacking football that saw them clinch back-to-back promotions. Their entertainment factor is why they have failed to score in only five of their 25 matches in the Bundesliga. The big problem, though, is they’ve conceded 54 times.
Star Player: Kai Proger. The winger has been an effective outlet for the bottom-placed side. He has registered six assists and also claimed two goals.
Player to watch out for: Christopher Antwi-Adjei is always a danger with his pace on the left wing and his giant throw-in is a threat to other teams.
So now pick your team, sit back, put the TV on and give a huge sigh of relief that football is back!
Comments