The five southwest clubs are starting their daily Bundesliga routine again. SWR Sport puts forward five (very) steep theses for the rest of the season.
SC Freiburg: Noah Atubolu becomes “Mister Clean Sheet”
Noah Atubolu replaced Mark Flekken as the starting goalkeeper at SC Freiburg at the start of the season. In the first few weeks, the U21 national goalkeeper was regularly criticized. But coach Christian Streich continued to trust the 21-year-old. And Atubolu delivered, stabilized his performances and has already kept six clean sheets after 16 games.
Only Lukas Hradecky from league leaders Bayer Leverkusen kept his box clean more often. Atubolu will continue to improve in the rest of the season and will be the keeper with the most clean sheets at the end of the season. Maybe he’ll get a call from Julian Nagelsmann and meet Jan-Niklas Beste in the summer, because…
1. FC Heidenheim: Jan-Niklas Beste is going to the European Championships
The Heidenheim football fairytale will be crowned at the end of the season. With Jan-Niklas Beste, a professional from the promoted team will be in the squad for the home European Championship. And there are good reasons for a nomination: especially with his extremely dangerous standards, the 25-year-old is a real option for the national coach.
Beste has already scored five goals this season and prepared eight more. After Leroy Sané from FC Bayern, he is the second best German professional in the Bundesliga scorers list. Oh yes: In addition to the European Championship nomination, Beste is celebrating staying in the league with the FCH.
VfB Stuttgart: Deniz Undav brings in Serhou Guirassy
Serhou Guirassy is the name of the top striker at VfB Stuttgart. There has been discussion for weeks about whether the Swabians can keep the 27-year-old despite the release clause. I think Guirassy will stay until the end of the season – and in the end he won’t be VfB’s (sole) top scorer.
Because in the last few weeks before the short winter break, Deniz Undav made up ground. The loanee from Brighton Hove & Albion already has nine goals to his name. That’s still eight fewer than his teammate. But while Guirassy is competing with Guinea at the Africa Cup of Nations and will initially be missing, Undav can continue to catch up. Guirassy will be a bit worn out after the exertions of the tournament, but Undav can fulfill his dream of the home European Championship with the DFB team with more goals. Motivation enough to end up with as many goals as Guirassy.
Mainz 05: All or nothing – the time for draws is over
Would you like some surprising statistics? Mainz 05 have lost as many away games so far this season (three) as the top team RB Leipzig. Problem: You haven’t won a game away from home, but have drawn six times. In addition, there was a draw in the home arena and overall a poor win for the season.
An arch-rival should serve as a warning example for the Rheinhessen: FCK drew a total of 18 times in the 1995/1995 season and was relegated in the end. For coach Jan Siewert’s team it’s all or nothing for the next 18 games. There will be no more draws for Mainz until the end of the season, and the 05ers will win and lose – and thus stay in the Bundesliga.
TSG Hoffenheim: Max Moerstedt makes his debut in the Bundesliga – and scores!
Max Moerstedt from TSG Hoffenheim showed off big at the U17 World Cup. The attacker won the title with the DFB team and was one of the top performers with four goals.
The 1.94 meter tall center forward has been playing in the U19 team at TSG. “It’s mentally ill,” the 17-year-old said after the World Cup title. And maybe something “mentally ill” will happen again in the second half of the season and Moerstedt will make his debut in the Bundesliga. Due to suspensions and injuries, a place in the squad quickly becomes available. And if Moerstedt plays, he will also score. Because he knows where the goal is: Moerstedt has already scored ten times in nine games in the U19 Bundesliga.
2024-01-09 08:53:39
#steep #theses #start #Bundesliga
