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After a two-month delay due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Bundesliga will become the first European soccer league to return to action, resuming the 2019-20 season on Saturday. There’s still a lot of anxiety and uncertainty with procedures: Not all players love the idea, and second division team Dynamo Dresden had to enter a two-week quarantine this past weekend after a couple of positive tests, but until now, the tentative schedule for the first division to complete its final nine days is still a release.
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While the eyes of the sports world will monitor whether the league’s safety and security measures are effective, Europe’s most open and friendly big soccer league is now basically the only soccer show in town. Here you’ll find everything you need to know about the league’s 2019-20 season, what’s at stake, and who to watch out for from now until the end of June.
Jump to: What makes the Bundesliga fun? Breaking down the title race | Computers ready to resume | Unmissable matches | Americans in the Bundesliga | Young stars you need to know
People always talk about how fun this league is. What do you mean How is it different?
First things first: if this is your first dive in the Bundesliga pool, you’re not going to get a entirely Proper Impression The league is generally considered one of the most fan-friendly in the world, avoiding at least a couple of layers of corporate influence, keeping ticket prices as low as possible, and creating a reputation for large crowds. You won’t notice that because fans won’t be able to attend.
While it’s always a great game when Bayern Munich travels to Borussia Dortmund, it won’t be the same with an empty Yellow Wall. And while it will continue to be a big problem when Union Berlin, a top division team, host Bayern for the first time this weekend, it is very unfortunate that Union fans are not there to see it. Still, the amount of television revenue on the line, and the potentially devastating impact that season cancellation of the season could have, ensured that the games would be played one way or another if possible.
Until now, it is possible, and the unique conditions will at least create some pleasantly strange circumstances: Borussia Mönchengladbach is placing cardboard cutouts of fans on the seats, for example. And with hand clashes and any excess contact between banned players, there is a chance for some creative, and hopefully choreographed, goal celebrations. (If someone from Bayern scores a goal and somehow doesn’t try to dance like striker Robert Lewandowski in his TikTok videos, I will be extremely disappointed.)
It will be different, but it will also remain the Bundesliga, and in what makes this league game so enjoyable, let me refer you to a piece of league styles that I wrote in December.
What is at stake in the title race?
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Danny Higginbotham shares his perspective for Bayern Munich before his return to the Bundesliga against Union Berlin.
The top four teams in the league qualify for the 2020-21 Champions League, while the fifth and sixth head to the Europa League. And the top five teams are still close enough for a really good team to end up outside of the Champions League.
When the coronavirus stopped playing in March, the Bundesliga table was a little more cluttered than usual. Things had started to work out: After being delayed early for the second year in a row, 29-time champions (and winners of seven consecutive titles) Bayern Munich (55 points) had been relieved from both Borussia Dortmund (51) and RB Leipzig (50 ) on top. But Bayern still have to play not only Dortmund, but also fourth place Borussia Mönchengladbach (49) and fifth place Bayer Leverkusen (47). Bottom line: We are an annoying result of a dog fight.
Gladbach led the league for much of the fall, but Leverkusen was on the track before the layoff. The race to avoid fifth place needs to be heated: FiveThirtyEight club rankings rely on the top three to secure offers and see the battle for fourth place as a shock between Gladbach and Leverkusen.
What teams are ready to resume?
Bayern Munich: They finally take a break, right? Before the layoff, it appeared that league leading striker and scorer Robert Lewandowski was going to miss a trip to Dortmund in early April, the game probably the most vital to maintaining a true league title race, with an injury to the groin. But it looks like it should be ready to roll when the action resumes. (Marco Reus from Dortmund could also have returned from injury by then.) The same goes for winger Ivan Perisic, who was playing a brilliant ball before suffering an ankle injury in early February. Bayern continued to roll without them, of course, but manager Hansi Flick now has plenty of lineup options.
RB Leipzig: Julian Nagelsmann’s side was the story of the Hinrunde (the first half of the season), leading a crowded field on winter break and reaching the knockout stages of the Champions League. (And yet, arguably they are the least-loved team in Germany.) Their form didn’t hit a major wall or anything – they lost just once in eight league games after the break, allowed just six goals in the process, and caught fire. Tottenham Hotspur in the knockout stages of the Champions League, but they were losing points. They suffered four draws in those eight games, and their offense had scored 14 goals for pedestrians (seventh in the league in that span). For a team that had never been in this kind of high-pressure situation before, the rest probably served them well.
Dan Thomas joins Craig Burley, Shaka Hislop, and a host of other guests every day as soccer traces a path through the coronavirus crisis. Stream on ESPN + (US only).
Schalke 04: Once near the top of the table, Schalke quickly headed in the wrong direction in March. They had won only once in their last eight games, scoring four goals in the lowest league. Forwards Michael Gregoritsch and Benito Raman had lost their finishing touch, combining for 6.3 Expected Goals (xG) but only two real goals on 35 shots. Regression to the mean should lift them up a bit, although a little extra rest would be ideal, especially if it means taking back defenders Salif Sane and / or Benjamin Stambouli. Both fell in November, and defense was also more dispersed.
FC Augsburg: Augsburg has been the best team in the league this year. the Fuggerstädter He started the season losing to SC Verl in the fourth division in the German Cup and taking just seven points from his first 10 league games. They allowed at least three goals in five of those 10. They suddenly outscored opponents 15-4 on a six-game unbeaten streak … then won only once between Dec. 21 and the layoff. From threatened decline to contender for Europe and vice versa. They are 14th, five points from the relegation playoff; We will see if the pause changed his mood.
What are the biggest parties left?
There are 34 match days on the Bundesliga calendar, and we have nine remaining: the league is adamant about ending them before June 30. With that in mind, this is the most important match of each round.
– Find all the results and matches of the Bundesliga here
Round 26 (May 16-18): Borussia Dortmund vs. Schalke 04
This is one of the biggest rivalries in Germany and the biggest this weekend by far. Borussia cannot afford to drop many, if none, more points in the title race and with a loss, Schalke will likely drop from sixth place, also known as Europe’s final slot.
Round 27: Borussia Mönchengladbach vs. Bayer Leverkusen
The race for the final position of the Champions League is almost a deadlock between these two, and obviously the odds change significantly if one of these teams scores three points against the other. The aesthetics of this match are also quite charming: Gladbach could be the most creative passing team in the league, especially at the attack end, while Leverkusen, led by current / current future star Kai Havertz, 20, has been a goal. -Shutter from the winter holidays.
Schoenfeld: Havertz is destined for great things beyond Germany
Round 28: Borussia Dortmund vs. Bayern Munich
This has been the biggest battle in the Bundesliga in a while: these clubs have taken 10 consecutive league titles and 22 of the last 26. And as mentioned above, both teams could be terribly close to maximum strength. If you watch just one league game the rest of the year, this is the one you need to catch. (But seriously, look at as many as possible. Satisfaction is guaranteed.)
Matchday 29: 1. FC Köln vs. RB Leipzig
With Bayern and BVB both playing relegation teams (Düsseldorf and Paderborn, respectively), the biggest showdown is this or Freiburg vs. Leverkusen. I chose this one because it offers the opportunity to catch a delightfully volatile Cologne squad and take a sustained look at RBL. For the remaining goals of each team, from Cologne to Europe, the RB Leipzig winning the title, taking three points here is a must.
Round 30 and 31: Bayer Leverkusen vs. Bayern Munich; Bayern Munich vs. Borussia Mönchengladbach
On November 30, two goals from Leon Bailey gave Leverkusen a surprise victory over Bayern in Munich; A week later, Gladbach remained in first place with a goal from Ramy Bensebaini in halftime and an energetic 2-1 win over Bayern. Bayern has not lost a single game in any competition since that day. If either team takes away more points from the league leader, that would provide a great lifeline for the Champions League. But Bayern’s revenge attempts are often quite cruel and relentless.
Round 32: RB Leipzig vs. Fortuna Düsseldorf
With the top three title contenders playing opponents threatened by relegation, take this time to meet RBL. Leipzig has a real “corporation bought his soul” problem, and German fans have rebelled against the club and its success with enthusiasm. But Nagelsmann’s team is also intense and fun, loaded with players who could reach a considerable sum in the transfer market in the coming years: forward Timo Werner, midfielders Christopher Nkunku and Marcel Sabitzer, defenders Dayot Upamecano and Lukas Klostermann. , and so on.
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Danny Higginbotham explains why he expects a healthier and more formidable RB Leizpig this weekend.
Round 33: RB Leipzig vs. Borussia Dortmund
The stakes could have changed dramatically at this point, but the odds are good that it will be a title elimination bout or a battle to secure second place in the league. Either way, the first battle between these two teams was a scandalous 3-3 draw. This could be just as fun, regardless of what’s at stake.
Round 34: Wolfsburg vs. Bayern Munich
The title has probably already been decided (with Bayern as the likely champion, of course), but if not, this is a final “who blinks first” game. All three title favorites face tough opponents (Bayern vs. Wolfsburg, Dortmund vs. Hoffenheim, Leipzig vs. Augsburg), and the odds are good that one of them will drop a couple of points.
Are there not many Americans in this league?
Indeed! Some of the most exciting young players in the USMNT, and some steely old veterans, are, when healthy, stalwarts of the Bundesliga.
Tyler Adams, RB Leipzig (21)
Adams has dealt with a number of groin / adductor problems in recent years, but the former New York Red Bulls star was quickly placed in the RBL rotation once she was healthy. He is versatile and perfect for Germany: a defensive midfielder capable of creating danger in attack.
Weston McKennie, Schalke 04 (21)
McKennie is an aggressive and integral part of Schalke’s attack. He is not the best finisher in the world (you could say that of a lot of the Americans), but he pushes the ball up offensively and presses well on defense.
Zack Steffen, Fortuna Düsseldorf (25)
The first-choice goalkeeper for both the USMNT and Düsseldorf, Steffen’s 2019-20 campaign was destroyed by injury. He suffered a patellar injury in mid-January, and although the layoff could have helped him get back on the court, he instead forced his MCL in late April and could miss the rest of the season.
2:55
Ale Moreno compares the playing style of Borussia Dortmund and Gio Reyna of USMNT with his father, Claudio.
Giovanni Reyna, Borussia Dortmund (17)
The son of the great USMNT Claudio, Reyna debuted for BVB in early 2020 and immediately fit in. Like Nkunku, he is dangerous both from the wings and from the central areas and scored a magnificent goal against Werder Bremen in the Pokal DFB. The United States boasts of having fun attacking midfielders, but Reyna could quickly move up the priority list.
Hamilton: inside the life of the American phenomenon Reyna in Dortmund
John Brooks, Wolfsburg (27)
Another pillar of the USMNT with a long injury history, Brooks wasted time in September, but has still recorded 16 starts for the team in bright green. And if you haven’t seen him play for a long time, breaking news: It’s still high. It still wins most of the antennas and plays the standard, sturdy D-center.
Alfredo Morales, Fortuna Düsseldorf (29)
A Bundesliga veteran who also played for Hertha Berlin and Ingolstadt 04, Morales has invested more than 1,400 minutes for Fortuna this season, scoring once and recording two assists. He remains one of the best ball pressure players in the USMNT player group.
Timmy Chandler, Eintracht Frankfurt (30)
Chandler’s USMNT days have probably ended, but he returned to the Frankfurt rotation after missing all but 17 minutes of the 2018-19 campaign with a knee injury. And in 14 games, he scored four goals and recorded an assist for the enigmatic Eagles.
Fabian Johnson, Borussia Mönchengladbach (32)
The longtime fullback was crowned 57 times for the USA. USA In the 2010s, but he also dealt with approximately 57 back injuries. He played in 18 games for Gladbach in 2018-19, but has seen action only six times this season.
Ulises Llanez, Wolfsburg (19)
Llanez scored in his first appearance at the USMNT, but has not recorded any minutes for the senior team, at least not yet. However, he put in 11 goals in 15 games with the U19 team. This is more of a “file for next season” name.
Chris Richards, Bayern Munich (20)
Another name to file for later. The 6-foot-2-foot center-back rose from Bayern’s under-19 team and set nearly 2,000 minutes for Bayern II this season. You may need to borrow it to watch the Bundesliga soon, but that may very well be exactly what happens.
If this is a fun young league, who are the fun young players I should meet?
Obviously, the best teams have some established names that you can recognize: Lewandowski, Reus, Thomas Müller of Bayern, etc., and if you followed the Champions League this year, you’re likely to get acquainted with 24-year-old stars like RBL’s Werner. and Serge Gnabry from Bayern. (Tottenham Hotspur definitely remembers Gnabry, anyway.)
This league gives young players more career than any major league.
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Arne Friedrich explains why Alphonso Davies is one of the most valuable players in the Bundesliga.
Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich
In just three years, 19-year-old Davies went from the perspective of the Vancouver Whitecaps to a starter for a Champions League favorite. He is possibly the fastest player in the five major leagues in Europe, but even more impressive, he is a sponge. His knowledge and play have developed at a nuclear pace, and he could soon be one of the best left-handers. or left extremes in the world … if it is not yet. Barring injuries, he will surely end up being the best Canadian player of all time … if he isn’t already.
Denis Zakaria, Borussia Mönchengladbach
Already a stalwart on the Swiss national team, 23-year-old Zakaria is one of the biggest plagues in the league: he is one of four players to have combined more than 170 ball recoveries with a duel success rate of 57 % or more. (The other three: Upamecano and two established stars, Thiago from Bayern and Mats Hummels from Dortmund.) He constantly challenges you and generally wins.
Christopher Nkunku, RB Leipzig
Somehow acquired for just $ 14.3 million PSG last summer, Nkunku is a standout creator, from the center or the wings, in a league full of them. His 65 created opportunities lead the Bundesliga, and his 4.03 opportunities for 90 minutes are seconds in all the Big Five leagues, only behind Dimitri Payet of Marseille (4.04). Kevin “damn it” De Bruyne it’s only at 4.01. Nkunku, who is still only 22 years old, is amazing.
Kai Havertz, Bayer Leverkusen
Havertz is a unicorn: he’s a great agile attacking midfielder, only he and Jadon Sancho of Dortmund have combined over 20 goals with over 200 turnovers in the past two seasons, but at 6ft 2 and 183lbs the 20 The yearlong game maker is also bigger than many defenders. It’s a showdown nightmare, and it’s probably not surprising that transfer rumors have linked him to Bayern and basically all the big clubs in the Premier League in the past 12 months.
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Former Norwegian striker Jan Aage Fjortoft says Robert Lewandowski and Erling Haaland will continue their good form.
Jadon Sancho, Borussia Dortmundand Erling Haaland, Borussia Dortmund
From Lewandowski (Bayern) to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal) and Ousmane Dembele (Barcelona) and many others, BVB has earned a reputation as being basically the final school for future stars. Lewandowski led them to a Champions League final before leaving for Bayern. They roll out a young roster, show a significant lead, finish second or third in the league, sell big-win players, bring in some new youngsters, and do it again, year after year. This guarantees financial health, but also creates an uninterrupted set of hypothetical situations. They have not advanced beyond the Champions League quarterfinals since 2013, and there is always a feeling “if they could have stayed [insert young star(s) here] for one more year … “
We are about to enter one of the strange transfer windows in recent memory. Due to the money lost during the coronavirus disruption, no one can say how many clubs will be in a position to buy the megastar talent this offseason (as long as the season is officially “off”). And it’s easy to secretly expect that, despite nonstop transfer rumors regarding the acquisition of Haaland in January and especially Sancho, BVB will keep the band together for an entire season, just to see what this can do. group.
Sancho, 20, has already been successful on an unfathomable level. I mentioned that he and Havertz are the only players in the league with more than 20 goals and more than 200 ball recoveries in two years; Well sancho also He has more than 20 assists. He, Leo Messi and Angel Di Maria of PSG are the only ones to reach 20 and 20 in that span. This year alone, Sancho leads the league with 29 assists and combined goals (Lewandowski and Werner are 28). He is a good defender, a great scorer and an elite passer. And he is twenty. Every time you leave, whether this summer or next, you will likely have an incomprehensible transfer fee.
Meanwhile, the 6-foot-4-inch Haaland Thor-esque (beardless) went from being a hipster favorite to being world-renowned in the blink of an eye. That’s what happens when you not only score a hat trick in the first half in your first appearance in the Champions League and you become the first teenager to score in your first five Champions League games – he had eight goals in total for Red Bull Salzburg during the UCL group stage, but also join BVB and score 12 goals in your first 11 black and yellow appearances. In just two years, the 19-year-old went from playing in the Norwegian Eliteserien to becoming the next Karim Benzema in worst. He is a world-class poacher and classifier, and has one of the best passing teams in the world that gives him the ball.
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