Vincent Kompany, the manager of Bayern Munich, emphasized before Wednesday’s 3-1 victory against FC Cologne that accolades such as goals, milestones, and records are the domain of players, not coaches. He was particularly dismissive of any comparisons to his former boss at Manchester City, Pep Guardiola.
Guardiola had previously achieved the best-ever Hinrunde (first half of the season) record during the 2013-14 season. While Kompany has now surpassed this record—albeit by goal difference—it hasn’t affected him greatly.
Bayern have scored a remarkable 66 goals and are on track to obliterate their own record of 101 goals in a single season, which was set during the peak of Gerd Müller’s era in the 1971-72 campaign.
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Although Harry Kane was unable to score this midweek, Bayern showed they are a formidable force, earning the front cover title of die Plattmacher in Kicker magazine. They are truly the steamrollers of this season.
Kim Min-Jae was named player of the match after making a crucial intervention against Cologne’s Jakub Kaminski, followed by scoring what proved to be the decisive goal. This highlighted Bayern’s depth of talent across the squad.
Despite facing several absentees due to illness and injury, including uncertainty over Konrad Laimer, Bayern’s strength remains unmatched.
The upcoming away match against RB Leipzig is set to be one of their toughest challenges this season, but few would be shocked if they emerge victorious.
Borussia Dortmund continue to pressure Bayern, having registered their best *Hinrunde* since the 2018-19 season by defeating Werder Bremen 3-0.
While the scoreline suggests dominance, the victory required considerable effort, described as an *Arbeitssieg*. The standout moment came late in the game when underperforming striker Serhou Guirassy scored his first Bundesliga goal in seven matches.
Under Niko Kovač, BVB has developed a tenacious quality, with just one loss in their last 25 Bundesliga matches, that defeat narrowly occurring in Munich.
However, Kovač acknowledged this week that Dortmund is not in a position to challenge Bayern directly, focusing instead on finishing as the best of the rest.
When Giovanni Reyna left Dortmund for Borussia Mönchengladbach in the summer, American fans hoped it would lead to guaranteed playing time for the undeniably talented player, who still has questions surrounding his consistency.
However, Reyna has only made four league starts and has come off the bench eight times as this crucial World Cup season unfolds. In the recent 5-1 loss to TSG Hoffenheim on Wednesday, he did not step onto the pitch at all.
This setback could potentially aid Reyna’s situation, as he faces competition from other players, including 17-year-old rising star Wael Mohya and a reinvigorated Florian Neuhaus.
Fans of Gladbach can relate to the fact that there is plenty of *Luft nach oben* (room for improvement), and Reyna must seize this opportunity. With 17 Bundesliga matches remaining before the much-anticipated home World Cup, he must view this as a pivotal challenge in his career.
VfB Stuttgart celebrated a thrilling 3-2 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt on Tuesday, highlighting the differing trajectories of the two organizations. Stuttgart has emerged as one of the most exhilarating, daring teams to watch this new calendar year.
Their effective pressing neutralized Leverkusen on Saturday, and in the recent roller-coaster of a match, *die Schwaben* displayed their capability against another challenging opponent.
With players like Deniz Undav and Jamie Leweling constantly creating challenges for opponents, coach Sebastian Hoeneß has plenty to celebrate, especially now with Ermedin Demirovic fit and contributing.
In stark contrast, Eintracht conceded an alarming 36 goals in the *Hinrunde*, allowing six in just the past two matches.
They are grappling with a precarious goalkeeper situation, as their decision to revert to young Brazilian shot-stopper Kauã Santos after initially trying Michael Zetterer has yielded little success. The absence of striker Younes Ebnoutalib, who recently made an impressive scoring debut against Dortmund but will be sidelined for several weeks, has added to their woes.
If you’re searching for a *Trainerdiskussion* (debate about whether a coach should stay in position), keep an eye on two coaching situations.
First is the ongoing crisis in Köln, where Lukas Kwasniok’s team has gone eight matches without a win.
Unpopular among some sections of the *Kurve* (the vocal supporters), Kwasniok may find himself in serious trouble if *Effzeh* doesn’t secure a victory this Saturday against direct rival Mainz.
It may be premature to discuss the future of Bremen’s Horst Steffen, who was promoted from the 2. Bundesliga last season. He was known for his expansive playing style with his former club Elversberg and nearly led them to promotion.
However, Bremen has gained just two points from their last six matches and an emotional home game against struggling Eintracht Frankfurt looms this Friday.