With all the attention on Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich, the league has neglected the side currently in second. Borussia Mönchengladbach are enjoying a sensational season — but no one is talking about them.
Image: picture-alliance/Fotostand/Ellerbrake
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There's a saying: 'When two people quarrel, a third rejoices.' While Bayern Munich enter their umpteenth crisis and Borussia Dortmund try to figure out how they feel after a draw in Frankfurt, Borussia Mönchengladbach are quietly smiling at how well their season is going.
Contrary to Uli Hoeness' opinion, Gladbach are second in the Bundesliga. They have 42 points, the same as Bayern Munich, and the joint-best defense in the league. Shades of red and yellow have always been an easier sell for the Bundesliga, but the grey and black of Gladbach deserves more recognition.
Finishing ninth in the last two seasons has probably made Gladbach easier to dimiss. Inconsistent, short of quality, coached by a 54-year-old who doesn't belong to the league's wave of young coaching talent - the headlines are familiar and predictable. Where are the good headlines now that Gladbach are doing so well?
DW's Jonathan HardingImage: DW/P.Henriksen
Why are the goalkeeping discussions not about Yann Sommer, a man who has 10 clean sheets this season — four more than Roman Bürki and Manuel Neuer. In an era of tactical obsession, why is more not being made of Gladbach's defense, one largely made up of solid but unspectacular Bundesliga players but is an unpenetrable unit as a collective.
Why is there not more room in the attacking arenas of this world for Alassane Plea and Thorgan Hazard? With transfer fees further from representing value than ever before, why is not more appreciation being given to Max Eberl? And with the football world drunk on believing that young head coaches are the only way forward, there should be more time given to the work Dieter Hecking has done with this Gladbach side.
Gladbach are a club steeped in history. They were one of the best teams of the 1970s, had one of the greatest flair players in German history in Günter Netzer and were coached by some of the most legendary coaches in the country. But now it's time to appreciate their present. This team could win the Bundesliga, and might even beat Dortmund on the final day to do it. Maybe then they'd get the appreciation their play merits. But only maybe.
Bundesliga Matchday 20: Roundup
Borussia Dortmund gained ground in the title race despite dropping points in Frankfurt. That was because Bayern Munich, the defending Bundesliga champions, suffered a surprise result in Leverkusen.
Image: imago/DeFodi/R. Krivec
Stuttgart 2-2 Freiburg
Florian Niederlechner's injury time strike earned Freiburg a draw and denied Stuttgart a priceless win. The visitors took an early lead through Janik Haberer, but the hosts turned the game on its head in the final 15 minutes, through strikes from Emiliano Insua and Daniel Didavi. Stuttgart had Mario Gomez sent off late on for an elbow and then conceded at the death when Niederlechner tapped in.
Image: imago/Eibner/T. Weller
Augsburg 3-0 Mainz
Alfreo Finnbogason scored a hat-trick as Augsburg disposed of Mainz in ruthless fashion. Finnbogason scored twice from the spot in the first half and added a third after the break on a snowy Sunday afternoon in Bavaria. It was the Icelandic striker's first goals since November, and helps drag them four points clear of the relegation playoff place. The defeat is Mainz's first in five games.
Image: imago/DeFodi/R. Krivec
Schalke 0-2 Gladbach
Even though Alexander Nübel was sent off in the second half, Schalke still looked good for a point. That was until, with five minutes to go, Christoph Kramer's deflected half-volley ended up in the top corner. In the end, a game that looked likely to end in a draw for a long time was won by the smarter side. Florian Neuhaus added a second late on to add gloss to the scoreline.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/I. Fassbender
Leverkusen 3-1 Bayern Munich
The home side came to play on Saturday, blowing the defending Bundesliga champions away in the second half. Leon Goretzka gave the visitors an early lead with his fourth goal in three games, but Leon Bailey, Kevin Volland (pictured) and Lucas Alario all scored to give Leverkusen their first home victory of 2019 and under Peter Bosz.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/F. Gambarini
Eintracht Frankfurt 1-1 Borussia Dortmund
Marco Reus put the Bundesliga leaders ahead in the first half after linking up with Raphael Guerreiro. But Luka Jovic (third from left) leveled the score moments later, using all of his 1.81-meter (5-foot-11) frame to score the equalizer. The two sides shared the points in the end, marking just the fifth occasion this season in which Dortmund have dropped points.
Image: Reuters/K. Pfaffenbach
Hannover 0-3 RB Leipzig
Leipzig tightened their grip on the fourth Champions League place with a comfortable win against Hannover. Marcel Halstenberg (left) scored the opener from the penalty spot in first-half stoppage time and captain Willi Orban added two second half goals — the second a bullet header from a corner — to secure three points. It also meant defeat for Thomas Doll in his first game in charge of Hannover.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/S. Pförtner
Hoffenheim 1-1 Fortuna Düsseldorf
Andrej Kramaric (left) converted a penalty, his ninth goal of the season, to give the home side a first-half lead. But Rouwen Hennings equalized shortly after the break, heading in a Kevin Stöger lob. The two sides settled for a draw in the end, leaving Hoffenheim still winless at home in 2019.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/Kaspar-Bartke
Nuremberg 1-1 Werder Bremen
Mikael Ishak celebrated his late equalizer with Nuremberg's loyal supporters. Johannes Eggestein had put the visitors in front, but Ishak slotted home a spectacular effort to level the score four minutes from time. The 1-1 result ended a six game losing streak for "Der Club," but they have still not won a game since September 2018.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/D. Karmann
Hertha Berlin 0-1 Wolfsburg
Wolfsburg snatched an important away victory on a wet, snowy day in Berlin's Olympic Stadium. Wout Weghorst (pictured) tapped in the only goal of the game, his seventh in the Bundesliga. The Wolves have won four of their last six games and remain in contention for a Europa League spot.