As another week of Bundesliga football passes, the season approaches the finish line with Bayern Munich close to securing the title. The Bundesliga is still the only league from Europe’s top five leagues that is currently in progress. The Premier League, La Liga, and Serie A will soon follow. As for now, there are a lot of new eyeballs on the German top flight. In what was another eventful week, there are a few talking points to further analyze.
Bundesliga Weekly: Bayern Munich Edge Closer to the Title
Borussia Monchengladbach Slip Up
For most teams, a score draw against a solid Freiburg team isn’t considered a slip-up. However, Monchengladbach are fighting for a Champions League spot and they need all the points they can get. Their only rival for that fourth place spot is Bayer Leverkusen. Luckily for Die Fohlen, Leverkusen suffered a defeat at the hands of Bayern Munich. This means that Monchengladbach still sit above them due to goal difference. However, Monchengladbach will be facing a free-scoring Bayern Munich next Saturday. All the while, Leverkusen will visit a struggling Schalke side.
Due to Monchengladbach dropping points, next week’s fixtures will be all the more important. Making things even more interesting, there will be some clear omissions from next week’s game between Bayern and Monchengladbach. Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller are suspended, a big blow for the Bavarians.
Since the Bundesliga resumed play, Lewandowski and Muller have together contributed to eight of Bayerns’ seventeen goals. However, that won’t be it. Monchengladbach will be without Alassane Plea after he was sent off against Freiburg. Bayern have more tools to cover up for their absences but it will surely make for an interesting game.
Bayern Munich are in Fine Form
Since Hansi Flick was appointed manager at Bayern Munich in November, Bayern have only lost two games in the league. Those two games came in his first month in charge. Currently, they are on a nine-game win streak in the league. This has to mean something when discussing a possible European run. The implementation of the rest of the Champions League fixture is still being decided, when it does return, Bayern have to be looked at as one of if not the favourites.
It’s easy to say this as the other possible favourites are not currently playing, however, this season has already shown the many weaknesses of the other possible European favourites. Bayern has the advantage of already, candidates, regularly as well while other teams in other leagues will need weeks to catch up to full fitness. It seems to be clicking perfectly on all fronts right now and if they can keep up this form then they will be the one to put your money on.
Thomas Muller Having a Solid Season
All the plaudits will go to Lewandowski who is having the best year of his career. Muller, on the other hand, is having a career renaissance this year. Last weekend, during Bayern’s 4-2 win against Leverkusen, Muller set up two goals which put his assist tally at 20 this season. This means that Muller has beaten the single-season Bundesliga assist record with four games to spare. The record was previously held by Kevin De Bruyne with 19 assists in the 2014/15 season while playing for Wolfsburg.
Muller has slotted in that number ten role perfectly with Philippe Coutinho not living up to his expectations. Muller is one of world football’s most underrated players but at 30-years-old he continues to make a case for being one of the most versatile footballers in history.
Florian Wirtz Becomes Youngest Scorer in Bundesliga History
During the eventful Leverkusen-Bayern matchup, second-half substitute Florian Wirtz scored the game’s last goal in the 89th minute. Wirtz was born on May 3rd, 2003 which makes him barely 17-years-old. Wirtz’s goal was just a consolation goal for Leverkusen but his name will now go down in the history books as the youngest scorer in Bundesliga history. Previously, Nuri Sahin held the record of youngest Bundesliga scorer, as he was 17 and 82 days when he broke the record, close to 15 years ago.
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