Bayern and Dortmund win without stars
November 3, 2020Bundesliga Matchday 6 headlines:
- No star strikers, no problem
- Schalke and Mainz still struggling
- Rose blossoms in Gladbach
- And then there were two
No star strikers, no problem
With Robert Lewandowski rested and Erling Haaland out with a knee injury (but probably just being rested too), all eyes were on how Germany's top two teams would manage without their star strikers. Against an out-of-form Cologne, Bayern just about got by without Lewandowski — a fortunate penalty converted by Thomas Müller and a fine solo from Serge Gnabry proved just enough. Dortmund were once again slow to start, this time against a defensive Bielefeld. A brace from Dortmund's other in-form goal scorer Mats Hummels got Lucien Favre's side the three things that people will remember from this game, namely all the points.
Schalke and Mainz still struggling
Schalke have still not won this season, and were fortunate even to get a point against Stuttgart on Friday night. That means the club have gone 22 games without a win, the second-most in Bundesliga history. Schalke's measly two points from the first six games aren't much but they're two more than Mainz have. A 3-1 defeat to Augsburg leaves the club pointless.
Rose blossoms in Gladbach
Gladbach's 1-0 win over RB Leipzig came thanks to Hannes Wolf's goal in a second half that was a dramatic improvement from the first. The win was also a noticeable career win for Gladbach head coach Marco Rose, who not only turned a bad week for Julian Nagelsmann into a terrible one but also secured the club's first ever win over RB Leipzig (after eight attempts).
And then there were two
At the start of November, only two Bundesliga sides were still undefeated — and neither of them were Bayern or Dortmund. After securing a strong win in Freiburg, Leverkusenmoved into the top four and have won three and drawn three. Wolfsburg's win in the German capital put them into the top 7, and equally kept their undefeated streak intact.
Player of the week: Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund)
Without Haaland, Dortmund needed the goals to come from somewhere. Step forward Hummels. The first he knew little about, the ball deflecting off his legs into the goal, but his second was a powerful header that central defenders are famous for. Dortmund found a way to win and Hummels was the reason. Sadly for Dortmund and Hummels though, the defender was forced off with a hamstring injury and the race is on for him to be fit for the Champions League midweek and then Bayern on the following weekend.
Young player of the week: Hannes Wolf (Gladbach)
Scoring the winner is one thing but against the team you're on loan from to move your team into the top four is something else. Hannes Wolf did just that, finishing off a neat Gladbach move. Wolf wasn't outstanding throughout but delivered a performance that after a spate of injuries and at a new club that will make a difference.
Coach of the week: Peter Bosz (Leverkusen)
The Dutch coach has quietly made a great start to the season with Leverkusen. Not normally a fan of rotation, Bosz made sure to put his team first for the game in Freiburg. The six changes worked as Leverkusen won in a place where many teams struggle, and with it they stay undefeated.
Five-a-side team of the week: