Bundesliga Dream Team
January 10, 2007
The strikers
Any list of the Bundesliga's best has to start with Bremen's Miroslav Klose. He stumbled a bit after a tough World Cup campaign, but the winter break sees him sharing the honors as the season's top goal-getter. The only bad news: Klose is so good he'll likely leave the Bundesliga for one of Europe's biggest clubs when his contract expires this summer.
Like Klose, Hertha Berlin's Marko Pantelic is on 10 goals -- but he's done it without Bremen's well-oiled offensive machine setting him up. Once known as a petulant prima donna, the Serbian striker has been relentlessly positive this season, leading a rebuilding Hertha squad to a respectable fifth in the table.
On the Bench: Mario Gomez (Stuttgart), Roy Makaay (Bayern), Jan Schlaudraff (Aachen)
The midfield
Here, too, we start with Bremen. The big question for Werder this season was whether Diego could replace Johan Micoud as playmaker. Eight goals and 10 assists later, that issue has been laid to rest. The lightning-quick Brazilian has shredded opposing defenses, finding open teammates and, when necessary, the back of the net.
Zvjezdan Misimovic doesn't get the press Diego does, but Bochum's Bosnian playmaker is arguably more important to his team. His five goals and seven assists have helped an anything-but-stellar squad escape the relegation zone. Bayern Munich may be regretting letting him go in 2004.
Jawhar Mnari is one of the main reasons why Nuremberg are sitting comfortably in the standings. The Tunesian national has been rock solid in defensive midfield and provides the crucial link between the back four and the attack. He's also one of the league's best penalty takers, having converted two for two from the spot.
And as a stopper, Bremen's Torsten Frings takes the honors. He came into his own during the World Cup, and he's played every single Bundesliga minute for Werder this season. It's no accident that Bremen's worst defeat this season -- to an amateur club in the German Cup -- came when the German midfielder was out with injury.
On the Bench: Pavel Pardo (Stuttgart), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern), Laurentiu Reghecampf (Aachen), Albert Streit (Frankfurt)
The defense
Occupying the right-hand side of the back line is Stuttgart's Serdar Tasci. Though only 19 years of age, he's established himself as a regular starter for this season's surprise overachievers. He's scored a pair of goals, but what's perhaps even more impressive is that he's only picked up a lone yellow card in 15 appearances.
In the middle, there's no getting around Bremen's Naldo. The huge Brazilian is Werder's most improved player and he's also the league's highest scoring defender. Six goals this season, including a hattrick against Frankfurt in December, have shown that he's a force to be reckoned with at both ends of the field.
Alongside Naldo is another giant, Wolfsburg's Alexander Madlung. The young German anchors the league's stingiest defense and he's learned to play with discipline, having yet to be booked this season. What's more, with two goals to his name, he's responsible for one-sixth of the Wolves' otherwise anemic offense.
On the left-hand side, we have Schalke's Levan Kobiashvili. Although more of a midfielder, the Georgian international has played at the back for most of the season, and he's acquitted himself well, scoring three goals. More importantly, his no-nonsense play helped Schalke settle down after some early-season turmoil and finish 2006 level on points with Bremen.
On the Bench: Per Mertesacker (Bremen), Kevin Hofland (Wolfsburg), Matthieu Delpierre (Stuttgart), Marcelo Bordon (Schalke)
The goalkeeper
Finally, it's hard to choose among the array of excellent goalkeepers in the Bundesliga, but our nod goes to Dortmund's Roman Weidenfeller. He's one of the few keepers this year to have shut down Bremen's attack, and many people think he should get a chance in the German national squad. He also hasn't missed a minute between the posts.
On the Bench: Markus Pröll (Frankfurt), Simon Jentzsch (Wolfsburg), Mathias Hain (Bielefeld)