The seventh matchday of the Bundesliga saw the top teams flex their collective strength atop the table. Two matches showcased multiple goals by both squads and three others produced clean sheets. Despite Harry Kane’s hat trick, Omar Marmoush’s ninth goal on the season maintained his lead for the Golden Boot.
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
Bundesliga Results: WWWDD + 4-0 win vs Stuttgart
Harry Kane’s lupenreiner hat trick in the second half bailed out Bayern from an otherwise pedestrian performance. Perhaps a boring match will be the perfect recipe for the locker room that immediately turns its focus to Hansi Flick’s Barcelona squad that has been stellar this season.
2) RB Leipzig
Previous Ranking: 3
Bundesliga Results: WDDWW + 2-0 win at Mainz
Leipzig hasn’t conceded a Bundesliga goal since August, pitching five consecutive clean sheets since the 3-2 win over Leverkusen. If Benjamin Šeško hadn’t squandered two easy breakaways, Leipzig would’ve mirrored Bayern’s 4-0 result this weekend.
3) Bayer Leverkusen
Previous Ranking: 4
Bundesliga Results: LWWDD + 2-1 win vs Eintracht Frankfurt
In the high profile duel with Frankfurt, Leverkusen played much looser than recent games. Leverkusen looks much more comfortable in the final third with Florian Wirtz and Victor Boniface moving fluidly around the pitch. Boniface’s game winner was the difference as Leverkusen moved back into the top four.
4) Freiburg
Previous Ranking: 5
Bundesliga Results: LWWLW + 3-1 win vs Augsburg
Freiburg scored all three goals in a 12-minute window to overwhelm Augsburg and coast to another victory. Captain Christian Günter scored his first goal on the season with a left-footed laser to put the exclamation point on the scoring spree. Freiburg continues to impress on both sides of the pitch and will benefit from the weekly rest received from not competing in European competitions this season.
5) Eintracht Frankfurt
Previous Ranking: 2
Bundesliga Results: WWWWD + 2-1 loss at Bayer Leverkusen
After a stoppage time goal to earn a draw against Bayern, Frankfurt’s seven-game undefeated streak across all leagues was finally snapped by Leverkusen. Omar Marmoush added a penalty kick to maintain his slim lead over Harry Kane for the Golden Boot. The 25-year attacker requires at least two defenders to slow him down and Leverkusen successfully bottled him up for most of the night.
6) Borussia Dortmund
Previous Ranking: 8
Bundesliga Results: DWLWL + 2-1 win vs St. Pauli
A pair of powerful headers from Ramy Bensebaini and Serhou Guirassy pushed Dortmund over the hump against a pesky St. Pauli side. Dortmund clearly had an eye on defending first place in the Champions League in Tuesday’s clash with Real Madrid. Dortmund is playing spectacular but is grinding out results to stay within striking distance of a top four finish.
7) Union Berlin
Previous Ranking: 6
Bundesliga Results: WDWLW + 2-0 win at Holstein Kiel
Aljoscha Kemlein’s game winner in the 18th minute was the club’s first goal ever by a homegrown player. The rest of the match was evenly matched until Tom Rothe’s header in the 89th minute sealed the win.
8) Werder Bremen
Previous Ranking: 12
Bundesliga Results: DWLWL + 4-2 win at Wolfsburg
After a bleak first half, Mitchell Weiser scored right before half to draw level. In the second half, individual efforts by Felix Agu, Marvin Ducksch, and Marco Grüll paved the way for a crucial road win for Bremen.
9) Borussia Mönchengladbach
Previous Ranking: 14
Bundesliga Results: WLLWL + 3-2 win vs Heidenheim
After starting both Nations League match for Germany during the international break, Tim Kleindienst delivered a second half brace to secure the win for Gladbach. Gladbach’s performances continue to be erratic so they will happily take three points however they can earn them.
10) Stuttgart
Previous Ranking: 7
Bundesliga Results: DWWDD + 4-0 loss at Bayern Munich
Fresh off fantastic international appearances from Ermedin Demirović, Deniz Undav, and Jamie Lewling, the Stuttgart trio was completely thwarted by Bayern’s suffocating defense. Seb Hoeneß will need to coax more out of the role players if he intends to play in the Champions League again next season.
11) Hoffenheim
Previous Ranking: 15
Bundesliga Results: LLLLD + 3-1 win vs VfL Bochum
Hoffenheim never trailed but required Oliver Baumann to save a penalty kick in the 89th minute to hold on for the victory. Three different Hoffenheim players scored in three different ways.
12) Mainz
Previous Ranking: 11
Bundesliga Results: DLWLW + 2-0 loss vs RB Leipzig
Mainz won the battle in shots and possession but ultimately saw its best chances go wide of the net. Mainz still relies too heavily on individual brilliance from Jonathan Burkardt to earn points against the top Bundesliga sides.
13) Wolfsburg
Previous Ranking: 9
Bundesliga Results: WLLDW + 4-2 loss vs Werder Bremen
After an early goal from Tiago Tomás, Wolfsburg was cruising before the game unraveled. Bremen scored three unanswered goals, Patrick Wimmer drew a red card, and Wolfsburg’s players headed to the locker room scratching their heads.
14) Heidenheim
Previous Ranking: 10
Bundesliga Results: WLLWL + 3-2 loss at Borussia Mönchengladbach
Heidenheim has cooled off since its hot start but they continue to playing exciting and unpredictable matches. In the 12th minute, Léo Scienza opened the scoring line with a tight angle shot off a rebound. Marvin Pieringer’s penalty kick in the 80th minute was too little too late as Heidenheim were unable to salvage a late draw.
15) Augsburg
Previous Ranking: 13
Bundesliga Results: LWLLW + 3-1 loss at Freiburg
Augsburg hasn’t won consecutive matches since March and didn’t do themselves any favors this weekend. Granted, Freiburg has been a tough opponent all season but Augsburg’s inability to earn a clean sheet since April is a disturbing trend.
16) St. Pauli
Previous Ranking: 16
Bundesliga Results: LLDWL + 2-1 loss at Borussia Dortmund
St. Pauli’s determination makes them an easy underdog to root for. After an early goal was taken off the board due to an unlucky offside VAR decision, Eric Smith tied up the match in the 78th minute with a wonder strike from way outside the box.
17) Holstein Kiel
Previous Ranking: 17
Bundesliga Results: LLDLD + 2-0 loss vs Union Berlin
Union Berlin’s defense was stout again and ended Kiel’s three-match streak of scoring multiple goals. On the flip side, Kiel has conceded multiple goals every match this season with no end in sight.
18) VfL Bochum
Previous Ranking: 18
Bundesliga Results: LLDLL + 3-1 loss at Hoffenheim
Results like these are why Bochum is staring straight down the barrel of relegation. In the 89th minute, Lukas Daschner wasted a penalty kick that would have earned a crucial draw on the road. Instead, Bochum conceded an extra goal in stoppage time to maintain their spot in the cellar of the Bundesliga table and power rankings. Ultimately, the poor performances cost the coach and sporting director their jobs:
#meinVfL has reacted to the sporting crisis: Head coach Peter #Zeidler and sports director Marc #Lettau are released with immediate effect.
Looking for more thoughts and analysis on Bayern Munich’s big 4-0 win over VfB Stuttgart in the Bundesliga? Awesome, then check out our Bavarian Podcast Works — Postgame Show where we hit on the frustrating first half, the dominant second half, and where things go from here for both teams. You can get the podcast on Patreon, Spotify, or below:
