After the fourth Bundesliga matchday, only three clubs remain undefeated (Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig, and Union Berlin). All three relegation zone teams earned a draw and their first points of the season. Leverkusen pulled another rabbit of the hat with a late winner and Stuttgart delivered a shocker by decimating Dortmund.
Bayern scored 20 goals in eight days, becoming the only team in Europe who has won all of its matches this season. Harry Kane is the Bundesliga leader in goals (5) and assists (4).
This series will recap each team’s performance and rank the Bundesliga teams following each matchday. The ranking system is based on the quality of performances, opponents, and recent matches.
1) Bayern Munich
Previous Ranking: 1
Result: 5-0 at Werder Bremen
In breaking news, rain is wet and Harry Kane scored. Kane mixed it up and added two assists for the second time in his Bayern career. Newcomer Michael Olise continued his celebration parade to the corner flag with another brace this weekend. Bayern picked apart Bremen all over the pitch and didn’t allow a single shot on last minute fill-in, Sven Ulreich. Jamal Musiala and Serge Gnabry also found the back of the net in the third rout in the past week.
2) Bayer Leverkusen
Previous Ranking: 3
Result: 4-3 win vs Wolfsburg
After the dominating 4-0 Champions League on Thursday, Leverkusen switched tactics and went back to the well for another stoppage time game winner. Despite holding 79% possession, Leverkusen’s defense lost its mental fortitude and conceded three first half goals. This squad is talented enough to win games but is still heavily reliant on last minute theatrics to get the job done.
3) Freiburg
Previous Ranking: 7
Result: 3-0 win at Heidenheim
Besides the loss to Bayern, Freiburg has been solid. The defense has been suffocating and the offense has been electric down the stretch, scoring seven of its eight goals in the second half. Ritsu Doan scored in the 54th minute (again) and Vincenzo Grifo found a brace in a six-minute span to put the match away.
4) Eintracht Frankfurt
Previous Ranking: 6
Result: 2-0 win vs Borussia Mönchengladbach
Frankfurt’s defense has been gritty all season but the bigger surprise has been the offensive outburst. Omar Marmoush’s clever dribbling embarrasses defenders in the box on his goals and 20-year old Hugo Larsson continues to impress in the midfield. This team should carry a four-game winning streak headed into the October clash with Bayern.
5) Stuttgart
Previous Ranking: 8
Result: 5-1 win vs Borussia Dortmund
Stuttgart is looking more dangerous with each passing week. On Tuesday, Stuttgart gave Real Madrid all it could handle for 90 minutes. Stuttgart was unable to pull off that upset but unleashed hellfire on Dortmund. Enzo Millot was magnificent with a goal and two assists. Deniz Undav delivered two goals and Ermedin Demirović is quickly becoming a world class finisher.
6) RB Leipzig
Previous Ranking: 2
Result: 0-0 draw at St. Pauli
Leipzig carried a major hangover from the devastating loss to Atletico Madrid on Thursday. Leipzig’s defense withstood a pounding from St. Pauli in the first half. Leipzig’s offense is clearly too reliant on Loïs Openda’s creativity. Squad depth might become an issue as Leipzig navigates the path through a busy schedule Hinrunde.
7) Borussia Dortmund
Previous Ranking: 4
Result: 5-1 loss at Stuttgart
The Dortmund squad that crushed Club Brugge on Wednesday was nowhere to be found this weekend. Dortmund spent the entire match on its heels, conceding five goals on nine shots on target. Nico Schlotterbeck had his worst match since the 4-0 loss to Bayern last November. With a loaded schedule, Nuri Şahin will need to find a better path through the grueling schedule.
8) Union Berlin
Previous Ranking: 9
Result: 2-1 win vs Hoffenheim
Union Berlin scored two chaotic goals in the first six minutes and then held on for dear life to extend their Bundesliga unbeaten streak to five in a row. After a tumultuous 2023/24 campaign, Union Berlin is back on pace to contend for a spot in the European competitions.
9) Heidenheim
Previous Ranking: 5
Result: 3-0 loss vs Freiburg
After two shutout wins to start the season, Heidenheim has come back to earth in back-to-back losses. Heidenheim only managed one shot on goal and looked lost on defense. A couple of the goals came off rebounds in the box, but if a team allows that many opportunities then bad things are bound to happen. The shutout loss was the first time this season that the offense failed to scored multiple goals.
10) Wolfsburg
Previous Ranking: 10
Result: 4-3 loss at Bayer Leverkusen
Wolfsburg is kicking themselves after they blew another second half lead against a title contender. Wolfsburg was brutally efficient on offense, scoring three goals on a mere four shots on goal. Everything pointed toward an upset until Victor Boniface bullied his way to glory.
11) Mainz
Previous Ranking: 15
Result: 3-2 win at Augsburg
Bayern loanee Armindo Sieb opened the scoring in the 13th minute with a powerful header. Jonathan Burkhardt added two goals on redirected crosses and Mainz found the first win of the season. Mainz will continue to grind out games and have to live with the 50-50 nature of those results.
12) Hoffenheim
Previous Ranking: 13
Result: 2-1 loss at Union Berlin
Hoffenheim conceded multiple first half goals for the third consecutive match and subsequently lost all three matches. Marius Butler’s individual effort in the 67th minute was too little, too late. At the age of 33, Andrej Kramarić simply cannot be the only reliable scoring option.
13) Borussia Mönchengladbach
Previous Ranking: 11
Result: 2-0 loss at Eintracht Frankfurt
Gladbach’s dreadful start to the season dragged on with another loss. The movement and control in the midfield is being wasted with the lack of a finishing touch (1.74 xG). Gladbach has a stretch of very winnable Bundesliga games throughout October before the rematch with Frankfurt’s brutal counterattack in the DFB-Pokal to close out the month.
14) Werder Bremen
Previous Ranking: 12
Result: 5-0 loss vs Bayern Munich
Bremen suffered its first loss of the season and ended the club’s eight-game undefeated streak in the Bundesliga. Bremen were helpless all over the pitch and never threatened Bayern’s defense. Bremen was shutout for the second time this season, but luckily they don’t have to face Bayern or Dortmund for another four months.
15) Augsburg
Previous Ranking: 14
Result: 2-3 loss vs Mainz
Augsburg dominated possession (73%) but gave up three goals on four total attempts. All three goals came from poorly defended crosses that originated from Augsburg’s right flank. Augsburg even played up a man for 30 minutes and were unable to create a goal advantage.
16) VfL Bochum
Previous Ranking: 16
Result: 2-2 draw vs Holstein Kiel
Bochum did everything required to win the game, but got caught napping on a free kick in the 89th minute and were forced to settle for the draw. Myron Boadu put in another solid shift, registering an assist. The squad seems to finally be figuring out its own unique 4-1-2-1-2 formation.
17) St. Pauli
Previous Ranking: 17
Result: 0-0 draw vs RB Leipzig
The league’s worst offense looked threatening for at least a half but still couldn’t find a goal. Leipzig looked lethargic and ripe for an upset, but St. Pauli was unable to fulfill the role. The draw keeps St. Pauli on level footing with the other bottom feeders but points will be scarce for a team who can’t score.
18) Holstein Kiel
Previous Ranking: 18
Result: 2-2 draw at VfL Bochum
Kiel flashed its dramatic flare when Shuto Machino found another 89th minute goal. This goal earned Kiel the club’s first point in the top flight, but they’re starting to decorate their room in the Bundesliga cellar. The club’s first win will be elusive with an upcoming lineup of Frankfurt, Leverkusen, Union Berlin, and Stuttgart.
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