Three issues we learnt from the Bundesliga afternoon kick-offs: RB Leipzig, the race for Europe and who can win the league with solely academy gamers?
No Bundesliga video games on Friday night because it was Good Friday (xEaster Jokes: 2.5), a Ruhestag (a vacation), so we had a bumper Bundesliga Saturday which shook up the race for Europe.
The outcomes:
Heidenheim 0-4 Bayern Munich
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Mainz 2-2 Wolfsburg
Freiburg 3-2 Hoffenheim
RB Leipzig 1-1 Holstein Kiel
Werder Bremen 1-0 Bochum
Here’s what we learnt:
RB Leipzig flirt with hazard:
Leipzig is rather a lot like Judas, sufficient mentioned.
The Saxony aspect bought fortunate at present. They performed very poorly towards a Kiel aspect who’re preventing relegation and solely moved again into the Champions League locations after Mainz conceded a late equaliser. In the event that they proceed to play like this and with their closing 4 video games being towards Frankfurt, Bayern, Bremen and Stuttgart, there’s a actual chance that they don’t make it into 4.
Leipzig discover themselves in a little bit of a conundrum. In addition to needing a brand new head coach, a number of gamers will doubtless depart in the summertime, however only a few of those gamers have truly proven they’re prepared for the following step of their careers.
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Benjamin Seško, for instance. Transferring to the Premier League is a recipe for catastrophe for his profession as he’s merely not prepared, and whoever does purchase him in the summertime may have considerably overpaid in the event that they anticipate a direct affect.
The race for Europe is the one factor left to play for:
With wins for Freiburg and Bremen in addition to attracts for Mainz and Leipzig. The race for Europe is broad open nonetheless. Seven groups have the prospect of qualifying for Europe, whereas Stuttgart can throw a spanner within the works in the event that they beat Arminia Bielefeld within the DFB-Pokal closing.
As we’re specializing in at present, Bremen have risen out of nowhere (a bit like Jesus, allegedly). In the course of the season, they hit a little bit of a stoop that appeared like that they had misplaced contact with the race for European locations. However with the assistance of two bearded males from Fife and Dortmund, they’re now solely 4 factors from a Champions League spot.
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Since returning to the Bundesliga in 2022, Bremen have made regular progress in stabilising themselves within the league and might now look to progress additional up the league and shortly start difficult for Europe extra usually.
Who can win the league with solely academy gamers?
After Nelson Weiper (Mainz) and Johan Mazambi (Freiburg) each assisted for his or her golf equipment, it has impressed me to make this thought experiment.
I’m going to cherry choose (as I shouldn’t have the time, nor the trouble to do each single staff), a number of groups, and I’ll create an 11 for every of them of gamers to have performed of their academy and are presently in both the highest 5 leagues or the two.Bundesliga, then a judgment by you and me will be made on who you suppose would win on this league, the idea will probably be each participant of their prime.
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The groups are: Bayern, Dortmund, Schalke, Koln, Stuttgart, Mainz, Freiburg, Hertha.
No restrictions on formations both, however nothing foolish. Solely energetic gamers, clearly, and the switch worth from transfermarkt might play a task. If a participant had performed for multiple membership within the checklist (e.g Antonio Rüdiger) the membership whose first staff he performed, he will probably be assigned to, on this case, Stuttgart over Dortmund.
Bayern: Christian Frütchl, Josip Stanisic, Mats Hummels, Marco Friedl, David Alaba, Angelo Stiller, Aleksandar Pavlovic, Jamal Musiala, Thomas Müller, Paul Wanner, Joshua Zirkzee
Dortmund: Daniel Heuer Fernandes, Ansgar Knauff, Nmandi Collins,Amos Pieper,Tom Rothe, Orel Mangala, Patrick Osterhage, Christian Pulisic, Marco Reus, Mario Götze, Marvin Ducksch
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Schalke: Manuel Neuer, Thilo Kehrer, Malick Thiaw, Marvin Friedrich, Sead Kolasinac, Weston McKennie, Max Meyer, Assan Ouedraogo, Ilkay Gündgoan, Leroy Sané, Julian Draxler
Köln: Jonas Urbig, Jann Thielmann, Yann-Aurel Bisseck, Mitchell Weiser, Max Finkgräfe, Sahil Özcan, Yannick Gerhardt, Mark Uth, Lukas Podolski, Damian Downs, Tim Lemperle
Stuttgart: Sven Ulreich, Jeremy Toljan, Ermin Bickacic, Antonio Rüdiger, Philipp Mwene, Rani Khedira, Joshua Kimmich, Serge Gnabry, Kevin Stöger, Timo Werner, Davie Selke (clutching at straws this one)
Mainz: Robin Zentner, Ridle Baku, Stefan Bell, Niklas Tauer, Roman Neustäder Leandro Barreiro, Suat Serdar, Brajan Gruda, Jonathan Burkardt, Paul Nebel, Nelson Weiper
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Hertha: Marius Gersbeck, Marton Dardai, Linus Gechter, John Brooks, Maximilian Mittelstädt, Robert Andrich, Pascal Klemens, Ibrahim Maza, Bence Dardai, Ransdord Königsdorffer, Jessic Ngankam
Freiburg: Noah Atubolu, Jonathan Schmid, Max Rosenfelder, Matthias Gunter, Nico Schlotterbeck, Christian Günter, Nicolas Höfler, Yannick Keitel, Johan Mazambi, Kevin Schade, Noah Weißhaupt
Now, all these groups, there may be one clear winner. Bayern. I feel an argument will also be made for Schalke placing up a great problem for the hypothetical title. Different gamers who’re not energetic might take a few of these groups to ever larger ranges, Sami Khedira and Mario Gomez for Stuttgart, Philipp Lahm and Bastian Schweinsteiger for Bayern, Mesut Özil for Schalke.
That was lots of effort for a thought experiment that was determined by the primary staff.
Now if we did an all time certainly one of these…most likely Bayern once more.
GGFN |