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Bundesliga Bulletin

January 28, 2019

Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund racked up a hatful of goals, and both Bayer Leverkusen and Hoffenheim also ran up big scores. Here's all you need to know from Matchday 19.

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Fußball Bundesliga | 19. Spieltag | Borussia Dortmund - Hannover 96 | Torjubel
Image: Bongarts/Getty Images

Good week for: Goals, Marco Reus, Gladbach, Andrej Kramaric, Peter Bosz,

Bad week for: Nuremberg, Hannover, Düsseldorf, referees

The lowdown:

- Five goals, three points and the second win of 2019. Everything is coming up rosy for Borussia Dortmund, and this time it was because Hannover crumbled and Marco Reus was on fire (again). The returning captain inspired BVB to a win that they thoroughly deserved. These two sides couldn't be heading in more different directions, but perhaps Thomas Doll - who was announced as the new head coach on Sunday just hours after Andre Breitenreiter was sacked - can steady the ship?

- Bayern Munich followed suit 24 hours later, reducing the gap back to six points with an ultimately comfortable 4-1 win over struggling VfB Stuttgart. Anastasios Donis drew the Swabians level with a stunning strike after Thiago had given Bayern an early lead, but second-half goals from Leon Goretzka (again) and Robert Lewandowski (again) helped seal a comfortable win.

Fußball Bundesliga | 19. Spieltag | FC Bayern München - VfB Stuttgart | Torjubel 2:1
Image: Reuters/A. Gebert

- Peter Bosz promised last week that his Bayer Leverkusen side would be even more attacking this week, and his approach worked. A 3-0 trouncing of Wolfsburg was deserved and impressive, but Kai Havertz once again stole the show. When he and Julian Brandt (also on the scoresheet) hit their stride, Leverkusen can be a force. While this result now means two straight defeats for Wolfsburg, Leverkusen will be hoping it's the start of something.

- Dieter Hecking might not be getting much appreciation because the 54-year-old isn't part of the young, coaching trend emerging from Germany but he is working his magic at Borussia Mönchengladbach. The Foals notched another win, albeit against Augsburg and with a large slice of fortune surrounding an offside for their first goal that wasn't given, and temporarily moved into second spot. In any case, 39 points after 19 games is a very strong return. Is a European return on the cards?

- Hoffenheim got the better of Freiburg, but only just. Andrej Kramaric brought his A-game and, as is often the case for Freiburg, some of the individual players on the opposition team are just better. The win keeps Julian Nagelsmann's side in the mix for Europe (yet again).

Fußball Bundesliga | 19. Spieltag | SC Freiburg vs TSG 1899 Hoffenheim | Jubel (1:2)
Andrej Kramaric was on fire for Hoffenheim away at Freiburg.Image: Imago/Jan Huebner/Meiser

- When things aren't going your way, it takes a bit of luck to break out of it. Nuremberg didn't get that. They lost 2-1 to Mainz, and even had a goal chalked off beause of a millimeter offside decision. Tough.

Schalke perhaps should have won on Friday night in the capital, but Hertha Berlin made sure that there was little more than marginal gains for both sides in the capital. Twice Schalke took the lead, but twice Hertha came back. Still, Schalke have four points in their first two games of 2019 and that's a better start than in the first half of the season.

- RB Leipzig wrapped up all three points early on away at Fortuna Düsseldorf, racing into a 3-0 lead after just 16 minutes. The hosts, who had won their last four Bundesliga games, including a 2-1 win over Borussia Dortmund, took to the field in retro kits in memory of legendary World Cup-winning goalkeeper Toni Turek, who would have turned 100 earlier this month. Perhaps they could have done with Toni in goal as they ultimately lost 4-0. 

Fußball Bundesliga | 19. Spieltag | Fortuna Düsseldorf - RB Leipzig | Jubel (0:3)
One, two, three, four. It was an easy day on the road for RB Leipzig. Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M. Becker

The quotes:

"It was a good result, but when you see how many chances we had and we only score three goals, then we must do better."
- Whether a 0-1 defeat or a 3-0 win, Bayer Leverkusen coach Peter Bosz's post-match analysis is consistent: attack more.  

 "The linesman raised his flag, the referee was too lazy and nothing came from Cologne. Incredible that something like this can happen in the Bundesliga. Amateurs, who don't even know their own rules."
- Safe to say that Augsburg's Manuel Baum wasn't impressed with the refereeing in his team's defeat to Gladbach. 

"My grandfather always used to say, if you don't know what to do with the ball then just put it in the back of the net."
- Gladbach's Patrick Hermann listening to his elders.

"All that counts is that it counts."
- Gladbach coach Dieter Hecking on his team's controversial goal

Bor. Mönchengladbach - FC Augsburg | Trainer Dieter Hecking
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/R. Weihrauch

"I'm convinced that when it comes to away fans, our numbers would probably be right behind Borussia Dortmund and Schalke."
- RB Leipzig's Ralf Rangnick back in 2015. They took 437 fans away to Düsseldorf on Sunday. 

"The coach always has us in a good frame of mind. Today, the plan worked well."
- Hannover captain Waldemar Anton had a unique reading of his team's 5-1 defeat to BVB. 

"Now it's finally happened, in front of the yellow wall. It's a great feeling - goosebumps!"
- Borussia Dortmund midfielder Axel Witsel on his first goal in front of the Südtribüne

The stats:

- Never before have Borussia Dortmund had so many points (48) after 19 games. 

- Werder Bremen are the only side to have scored in every Bundesliga game this season.

- Referees awarded five penalties, more than any other matchday this season.

- Kai Havertz is the first teenager this season to score 10 goals (in all competitions) in Europe's top five leagues.

- Julian Brandt is the fourth youngest player to appear in 150 Bundesliga games. Only Timo Werner, Karl-Heinz Körbel and Werner Schneider were younger.

Bundesliga 19. Spieltag: VfL Wolfsburg - Bayer Leverkusen
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/S. Franklin

- It took only 16 minutes for RB Leipzig to take a 3-0 lead away at Fortuna Düsseldorf. The last team to take a quicker three-goal lead in the Bundesliga was Bayern Munich in October 2011 against Hertha Berlin (3-0 after 13 minutes). 

- Only Lionel Messi and Eden Hazard (10) have set up more goals than Jadon Sancho (9) in Europe's top five leagues this season.

The fans:

German football fans around the country showed their support for Holocaust Memorial Day, with a variety of banners delivering the same message: "Never again."

- Read more: German football supporters send vital message on Holocaust Memorial Day

Elsewhere, Bayern Munich supporters sent a powerful message to club president Uli Hoeness and CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge: