AS a breathless and eventful Bundesliga season takes a well-earned breather, pausing until mid-January for its yearly winter break, we’ve picked out a best XI of the campaign so far.
GK – Yann Sommer – Borussia Monchengladbach
With just 18 goals conceded, Gladbach have the best defensive record in the Bundesliga at the halfway point, and the unerring consistency of goalkeeper Sommer has once again been an invaluable calming influence at the back. The towering 31-year-old Swiss is now in his sixth season at Borussia-Park and is enjoying his finest campaign to date, a key figure in his side’s rise to the level of genuine title contenders under new manager Marco Rose.
LB – Achraf Hakimi – Borussia Dortmund
In the second year of his two-season loan at Signal Iduna Park from Real Madrid, Spain-born Morocco defender Hakimi, still just 21 years old, has established himself as one of the most exciting full-backs in Europe. Capable of playing on either side of the backline, Hakimi is dynamic in attack, contributing directly to 12 goals (six goals, six assists) already this term, with four strikes to help Dortmund escape from a Champions League group which included Inter Milan and Barcelona.
CB – Dayot Upamecano – RB Leipzig
Linked with a blockbuster move to Arsenal last summer, RB Leipzig managed to hold on to one of their most valuable young players in gifted centre-back Upamecano and have reaped the rewards. Top of the pile at the winter break, thanks to Upamecano’s speed, strength and skill on the ball, Julian Nagelsmann’s side are as formidable in defence as they are thrilling in attack. At 21, the Frenchman is well on course towards fulfilling his immense potential.
CB – Martin Hinteregger – Eintracht Frankfurt
Another central defender reportedly wanted at the Emirates, 27-year-old Hinteregger has been outstanding for Eintracht so far this season. The Austria international joined Die Adler permanently in the summer, having impressed on loan from Augsburg last season, and has established himself as one of the Bundesliga’s most dominant centre-backs. Remarkably, he is also Eintracht’s second-highest scorer this term, with six Bundesliga goals.
RB – Joshua Kimmich – Bayern Munich
Whether in the centre of midfield or on the right side of defence, Kimmich, much like Bayern legend and former colleague Philipp Lahm, rarely puts a foot wrong. With a preternatural gift for reading the game, sound decision-making and the ability – whether through incisive passes or precise crosses – to conjure chances with dependable regularity, the 24-year-old remains one of the best around in either defence or midfield. Bayern might have blown hot and cold in the Bundesliga this season, but Kimmich – with one goal, three assists and a league-topping 43 key passes – has been typically effective.
Joshua Kimmich: "I think Leipzig will continue to pick up points in the Rückrunde – from what I've seen, they've been dominant. That's why it's even more important for us to keep picking up points. We play them at home on 9 February. That'll be a decisive game." [Bundesliga] pic.twitter.com/aQgHvaNzby
— Bayern & Die Mannschaft (@eMiaSanMia) December 26, 2019
LW – Jadon Sancho – Borussia Dortmund
If the constant media speculation is any indicator, Sancho may not be at Dortmund much longer. The reported Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea target overcame a patch of inconsistency and some off-field disciplinary issues to become the first player in Europe’s five major leagues this season to reach double figures for goals and assists in all competitions. Riding a run of eight goals and six assists from his last nine games before the winter break, the 19-year-old is justifying the hype that has surrounded him since his days as a Manchester City youngster.
CM – Denis Zakaria – Borussia Monchengladbach
Anchoring the midfield for high-flying Gladbach, Zakaria has drawn admiring glances from some of the continent’s biggest and wealthiest clubs thanks to his stellar form so far this term. The Swiss destroyer has the anticipation and physicality to protect the defence behind him, the close control and confidence to play his way through pressure and the crisp passing technique to instigate attacks from deep. At 23, Zakaria looks set to be one of the best defensive midfielders in Europe for years to come.
CM – Marcel Sabitzer – RB Leipzig
With 11 goals and seven assists, this is already the most productive season of Sabitzer’s career. The 25-year-old Austrian has been a key figure in RB Leipzig’s steady rise since he joined the club from Rapid Wien in 2014 and has been better than ever of late to help Nagelsmann’s side finish 2019 top of the Bundesliga. Hard working, versatile and able to strike powerfully and accurately from anywhere within 25 yards of the target, Sabitzer is finally getting the recognition he deserves as one of the most reliable and technical midfielders in the German top flight.
RW – Serge Gnabry – Bayern Munich
Now in his second season at the Allianz Arena following an €8m move from Hoffenheim, former Arsenal winger Gnabry has shouldered greater creative responsibility at Bayern this term in light of the retirement of both Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery. And the 24-year-old has responded to the challenge of helping replace the legendary wingers by producing an impressive 11 goals and eight assists in 22 total matches and further developing his direct and dynamic brand of wing play.
19-year-old Jadon Sancho is the first player to reach double figures for goals and assists in a top five league and European competition combined this season #Sancho#BVB pic.twitter.com/qCKRGnDEL6
— Football Whispers (@FB_WHISPERS) December 16, 2019
ST – Timo Werner – RB Leipzig
Nobody has been directly involved in as many Bundesliga goals as RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner this season – his 18-goal haul is the second-best total in the division thus far while he has also contributed six assists. On the radar of Europe’s elite for several years now, Werner, at 23, is showing exactly why he is considered the future of the German national team, exhibiting blistering pace, the savvy movement of a much more experienced player and an unnerving coolness in front of goal.
ST – Robert Lewandowski – Bayern Munich
The best No.9 in the world has to be the first name on the team-sheet for this XI. Lewandowski has been one of the continent’s hottest strikers for most of his career but, at 31 years of age, he is taking his game to new levels this season. It’s the kind of statistic that seems so implausible it demands a double or triple check, but the Bayern striker has already hit 30 goals this term from jut 25 appearances, with his league-best 19 Bundesliga strikes augmented by a staggering 10 more in the Champions League and one in the DFB Pokal. In the league alone, Lewandowski is averaging a goal every 79 minutes.
