Bundesliga midseason report and awards: Bayern cruising as Dortmund stumble

The Bundesliga has entered its annual four-week winter break. Here’s a look at the best (and worst) of the season so far.

Is there any team in Germany capable of putting the brakes on Bayern Munich? After a sluggish start to the season, the Bavarian giants sacked manager Carlo Ancelotti (following a revolt from several key members of the team) and the club have been flying high ever since in the Bundesliga and Champions League.

Indeed, the Bavarian side’s early season form was poor. The club had enough with Ancelotti following a 2-2 draw with Hertha Berlin and a 3-0 defeat in Paris to PSG in the Champions League. His replacement, the veteran Jupp Heynckes, reclaimed his seat on the famed Bayern bench and it was only a matter of weeks (despite an injury to Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer) before the club surpassed Borussia Dortmund to take over first place.

Led by Robert Lewandowski’s 15 league goals (21 in all competitions) and the strong midfield play of Arturo Vidal, it looks almost certain Bayern Munich will repeat as champions for a sixth straight time after taking an 11-point lead over second-place Schalke. One has to wonder whether this team can also compete for the Champions League given their huge lead in the Bundesliga standings.

Heynckes has gotten a lot out of his players, even ones few expected at the start of the campaign. Back-up goalie Sven Ulreich has found his form and was key in Bayern’s 1-0 victory against his former club Stuttgart this past Saturday to close out the first half of the season ahead of thes winter break. Ulreich’s last-gasp penalty save ensured his side’s win and earned him plenty of love from Heynckes.

“He’s gained the team’s respect and has become even stronger after working with our goalkeeping coach Tony Tapalovic. He’s confident and, it goes without saying, I have faith in him,” Heynckes told reporters at the post-match news conference.

The teams competing for the top four spots are Schalke, on 30 points, and four others tied with 28 (Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen, RB Leipzig and Borussia Monchengladbach). While the race for the title seems practically over, the fight for Champions League spots will be intense once the season resumes Jan. 12 with matchday 18.

The relegation fight includes as many as seven teams, including such storied clubs as Werder Bremen and Stuttgart. Werder are third from the bottom with just 15 points and will need a strong run of games in order to get out of the hole they dug for themselves the past few months. Stuttgart have just 17 points and also need points to avoid the drop. It would be a shocking end for two teams that were vying for places in Europe not too long ago.

With so much still at stake as the season enters its annual winter break, here are our award-winners so far …

Best team: Bayern Munich

As mentioned, the mood in Munich has been exceptional since the 72-year-old Heynckes, now in his fourth stint at the club, took over as manager in early October. Bayern defender Jerome Boateng summed it up recently, saying of the veteran manager: “Everybody in our team is happy with him. We all follow his direction, he talks a lot with us, he gives us a good feeling. We trust him and that’s why we play like this.” Those are incredible words given how he and his teammates felt about Ancelotti and Bayern’s chances of success overall at the start of the season.

There seems to be no stopping Heynckes’ free-flowing 4-3-3 formation, as Lewandowski and Thomas Muller energize an attack that’s miles ahead of any team in the Bundesliga. The defense isn’t too shabby either, with Mats Hummels playing center-back along with Boateng, who also features on the right. Bayern have conceded only 11 goals in 17 matches, making them one of the stingiest defenses in all of Europe. And although this is a team that pride themselves on a fast-paced and efficient attacking style, they’re also capable of pulling out some gritty performances such as the recent win against Stuttgart. It’s all part of Bayern’s winning mentality, which should see them claim another title come the end of the season.

Best manager: Domenico Tedesco (Schalke) 

Schalke are punching above their weight. They finished 10th last season and reached the quarterfinals of the Europa League. Under first-year coach Tedesco, who was born in Italy but moved to Germany at the age of 2, the team has excelled thanks to a mix of veterans and youth. It shouldn’t come as a total shock given the success of the Schalker Knappenschmeide, the club’s youth academy, over the past few years. The team have exhibited magnificent teamwork and a never-say-die attitude, as evidenced by their four-goal, second half comeback in the Revierderby to draw Dortmund 4-4. Tedesco was even named the Bundesliga Man of the Matchday for Week 13, the first time a coach has been given such an honor.

Best signing: Corentin Tolisso (Bayern Munich) 

The 23-year-old ex-Lyon midfielder left France this summer to sign with Bayern Munich. His five goals and four assists in 23 games across all competitions tells part of the story. He has added flair and speed to Bayern’s midfield and has linked up well with his new teammates. Not afraid to aid the defense or help out in attack, Tolisso has been an all-around success in the Bundesliga and Champions League. On a squad loaded with stars, Tolisso is one of the side’s often unsung heroes, but one many have started to take notice of since Bayern took command of first place.

Biggest disappointment: Borussia Dortmund

For a team that showed so much promise at the start of the season, Dortmund imploded throughout much of the fall. After failing to win in 14 straight Bundesliga matches, coach Peter Bosz was sacked and replaced earlier this month with Peter Stoeger. It was inevitable that Bosz would get the boot after such a poor showing.

Stoeger had been canned by last-place Koln the week before, after his side had failed to win in 14 Bundesliga games, but the Austrian is respected in Cologne and throughout Germany after leading that team to Bundesliga promotion in 2014. The question now remains: can Stoeger fix BVB’s problems and ensure the club finish in the top four?

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The other big disappointment: Werder Bremen

In a campaign where teams like Bayern Munich are sucking up all the points and mediocrity reigns throughout the table, Werder Bremen have been one of the biggest busts of the season so far. Werder finished eighth last season. With the team flirting with an unlikely spot in Europe, a lot was expected of them this season. It was not to be and the club finished the first half of the season in a precarious situation. Under the team’s former Under-23 coach Florian Kohfeldt, who was named manager after Alexander Nouri was recently sacked, Werder have continued to struggle. Sporting director Frank Baumann, under fire himself, defended the appointment in a recent interview with regional newspaper Weser Kurier: “There is no proof that a coach with 20 years of Bundesliga experience can master this situation better than a young [coach],” he said. “It’s about individual skills, not age.”  

Best goal (and goal celebration): Bruma (RB Leipzig)

There have been lots of great goals (and ensuing celebrations) so far this season, but the top prize goes to RB Leipzig’s Bruma. The one-name wonder joined the German club this season and the Portuguese international has had a slow start, struggling to adapt to new teammates. The winger has only scored one goal this season in 13 matches, but it was a beauty. His Cristiano Ronaldo-inspired celebration is also fun. However, he’ll need to work on his scoring more during the winter hiatus if he ever hopes to delight fans with any more celebrating during the second half of the season.

Best American: Christian Pulisic 

The Bundesliga is loaded with American talent. There are 30 Americans playing throughout the country’s top three divisions. The one garnering the most attention for his leadership and goals is Christian Pulisic. The Pennsylvania native has shined at Dortmund despite the team’s overall lack of success to start the season. His five goals and three assists tell only part of the story. The 19-year-old represents the future of American soccer. Pulisic’s German experience will help as the United States try to rebuild their program after failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. The runner-up in this category, 19-year-old midfielder Weston McKennie, who plays at Schalke, has also been great to watch.