Who played against whom and how?
Which game couldn’t you miss?
Borussia Mönchengladbach versus VfL Wolfsburg. In times of FIFA peace prizes for Donald Trump, fantasy ticket prices for a World Cup in three countries, a complete oversupply of TV rights holders and a Bundesliga in which… FC Bayern If you don’t become German champion every ten years or so, you can lose interest in this sport. But then you watch the game between Mönchengladbach and Wolfsburg and you remember why you once fell in love with this game. 47,161 spectators in Borussia Park, an exhilarating VfL, four goals in the first half, two goals taken back in the second, wonderful individual performances such as Mohamed Amoura’s goal from the outside of the foot, the no-look assist from Christian Eriksen, a debutant who was not even of age (see: What else was important?) and at times a game speed that was more reminiscent of a console than of everyday Bundesliga life. It’s hard to believe, but at least for a moment it was VfL Wolfsburg that brought the author of these lines back his faith in football.
Which game could you have missed with a clear conscience?
FC St. Pauli against Heidenheim. At least if you are a friend of good old statistics. The Heidenheimers shot at the Hamburg hosts’ goal 20 times and achieved an expected goals value of 2.44, compared to just 0.8 from the perspective of FC St. Pauli, who not only took far fewer corners (4:11) but also had to accept the controversial red card for Eric Smith shortly before the break. Based purely on statistics, Hamburg should have lost this game, but because fortunately in football at the end of the day it is not always the numbers that decide the final result, but rather numerous other factors, St. Pauli ended up celebrating in this basement duel against Heidenheim. Both teams have eleven points each and will probably fight against relegation until the end of the season. Purely statistically speaking.
Who was in the spotlight?
The bottom of the table, Mainz 05. Mainz had six points before the game against unbeaten FC Bayern. But with new coach Urs Fischer they almost gave Bayern their first defeat of this Bundesliga season. Only twice in the long history of the Bundesliga has the bottom team been able to win away from home against the leaders: in 1963/64, 1. FC Saarbrücken defeated 1. FC Köln 3-1 on matchday 16, and in 1996/97, Fortuna Düsseldorf celebrated a 1-0 win in Leverkusen on matchday 3. On Sunday evening, Mainz were only ten minutes away from actually leading 2-1 at FC Bayern before Harry Kane showed his class, took a penalty and then converted it himself. Nevertheless, this should all give Mainz hope. And Bayern are getting closer to their first defeat of the season, but even extended their lead in second place because Leipzig lost at Union.
