Insider's Bundesliga Team of the Season, including Europe's top scorer, the Bayern Munich Road Runner, and the son of a France icon
Barnaby Lane
- Over the next two weeks, Insider will be revealing its Team of the Season for each of Europe's top five soccer leagues.
- These are the English Premier League, Italy's Serie A, France's Ligue 1, Spain's La Liga, and the German Bundesliga.
- Below is our selection for the Bundesliga, which has just seven game remaining having resumed on May 16.
- Keep up to date with the series here.
The German Bundesliga led in the way in returning to action amid the coronavirus pandemic having restarted on May 16.
Though games have been behind closed doors, record numbers have tuned in on television to get their fix of football after a near three-month hiatus.
And those who have tuned in haven't been disappointed, with the German top flight serving up some brilliant matches, including Borussia Dortmund's 6-1 thrashing of Paderborn, and a 5-2 victory for Bayern Munch over Eintracht Frankfurt, since its return.
With only five rounds of games left to play however and the league set to be concluded on the last weekend in June, Insider decided it was time to take a look back at who have been the stand outs in a turbulent, but exciting, campaign.
Below is our Bundesliga Team of the Season, including Europe's top scorer, the Bayern Munich Road Runner, and the son of a France icon.
GK: Yann Sommer — Borussia Mönchengladbach
Sommer pulled off arguably the save of the season in December against Bayern Munich when he clawed Joshua Kimmich's effort off the line with only his finger (though he was atoning for his own mistake.)
Super stop aside, the Switzerland international has made 113 other saves in the Bundesliga this term, more than any other keeper, while he has also kept six clean sheets.
RB: Achraf Hakimi — Borussia Dortmund
Achraf Hakimi has been the best right back in world football this season.
As well as being solid defensively, the Moroccan, 21, has been blistering going forward, utilizing his his pace and pinpoint delivery to lethal effect. At times, he's acted as an extra forward for Dortmund.
In 29 Bundesliga games, Hakimi has made a division high 972 sprints, resulting in five goals and 10 assists.
CB: Dayot Upamecano — RB Leipzig
Much like LOSC Lille defender Gabriel who made our Ligue 1 Team of the Season, Leipzig's Upamecano is a perfect example of a modern ball-playing centre back.
The Frenchman has completed 89% of his passes this term, averaging 10.77 passes to the final third and 13.02 progressive passes per 90 minutes, according to TalkSPORT.
That makes the 21-year-old the best centre back in Europe's top five leagues in terms of those metrics, which explains why he's attracting interest from both Arsenal and Tottenham.
CB: Martin Hinteregger — Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt sold, and and subsequently failed to replace, its two star strikers last summer in the form of Luka Jovic and Sebastien Haller, who moved to Real Madrid and West Ham United.
Fortunately, 27-year-old Martin Hinteregger has stepped in to fill the void, managing eight goals in the Bundesliga — a tally that makes him the club's top scorer and the joint eighth top scorer in the whole division.
Did we mention he's a centre back?
LB: Alphonso Davies — FC Bayern Munich
Much like Dortmund's Achraf Hakimi on the other flank, Davies has impressed with his ability to get forward and back seamlessly — and very, very quickly — for Bayern this season.
During Bayern's 1-0 win over Dortmund at the end of May, the Canadian, 19, clocked a top speed of 35.3km/h (21.9mph) while chasing back to deny Erling Braut Haaland a clear goal.
After the match, his teammate Thomas Muller described him as the "FC Bayern Road Runner."
Meep meep!
RM: Jadon Sancho — Borussia Dortmund
The big question on most people's lips after Jadon Sancho's breakthrough season last year was: 'Can he do it again?'
Well, the Englishman has answered in emphatic fashion, beating last term's tally of 12 goals and 14 assists with 17 and 16 respectively — and he still has time to spare.
Still just 20, Sancho has the world well and truly at his feet.
CM: Dennis Zakaria — Borussia Monchengladbach
Zakaria has marshaled Monchengladbach's midfield excellently this season, acting as protection for the back four and a useful distributor going forward.
The Swiss star has has averaged three tackles per game, has regularly posted three or more successful dribbles per game, and has completed an impressive 87% of his passes. He's also slotted in at centre back when required.
A "Jack of all trades" so to say.
CM: Christopher Nkunku — RB Leipzig
A hugely creative force in the middle of the park, Frenchman Nkunku has provided 13 assists for his Leipzig teammates this term, and has averaged a sensational four key passes per game.
He's also scored five goals of his own, which is all the more impressive considering he has only started 15 matches for Julian Nagelsmann's team.
LM: Marcus Thuram — Borussia Monchengladbach
The son of France icon Lilian Thuram, Monchengladbach's Marcus has shown this season he is destined for great things just like his father.
Signed last summer from French side Guingamp, the 22-year-old, who can operate as either a striker or a winger, has scored 10 and provided eight in the Bundesliga for Marco Rose's side, helping fire it to fourth in the division.
A unique combination of brawn and brains, Thuram has also developed an almost telepathic partnership with Alessane Plea, who can count himself extremely unlucky to miss out on a spot in our team.
ST: Timo Werner — RB Leipzig
Leipzig fans will be sorry to see Timo Werner leave the club for Chelsea FC this summer.
The German striker, who has signed a $253,000 per week deal at Stamford Bridge, has scored 32 goals for Leipzig in all competitions this season.
25 of those have come in the Bundesliga, helping fire Leipzig to third in the league. If it wants to reach those heights again next term, Werner will need to be replaced, though that is easier said than done.
ST: Robert Lewandowski — FC Bayern Munich
We know its cliche, but Robert Lewandowski, 31, really is like a fine wine — he just keeps getting better with age.
The 1988 vintage has enjoyed his best goal scoring season to date this term for Bayern, having hit 43 in all competitions.
29 of those have come in the Bundesliga, making him the division's top scorer, and on course for his fifth "Kicker Torjagerkanone" (top scorer award) in seven years.
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