Gladbach test title credentials vs. Hoffenheim

Lost in Borussia Dortmund's ascension to the top of the Bundesliga and Bayern Munich's various crises is the fact that Borussia Mönchengladbach are off to their best league start in seven years.

The last time the Foals were in second place after 14 league games was in 2011-12, when Marco Reus was the team's best goalscorer and a 19-year-old Marc-André ter Stegen was between the sticks. That Gladbach side collected 29 points in its first 14 games, the exact total this season's team has amassed in the same amount of games.

The strong start has earned head coach Dieter Hecking, whose contract was to expire at the end of the season, a one-year extension until June 2020.

Despite their success this term, Gladbach still sit nine points behind Dortmund going into Saturday's match against Hoffenheim.

With Bayern still looming, the Foals may not be a popular pick to win the title. That said, their high-flying attack and light fixture list — the Bundesliga is the only competition they are competing in the rest of the season — could keep them in the conversation.

Read more: Opinion: Champions win even when off form

Newfound depth in attack

In their previous three Bundesliga campaigns, Gladbach leaned heavily on Lars Stindl and Raffael in the final third. The two combined for 53 goals and 26 assists in the league from the 2015-16 season to the 2017-18 season. 

That has been far less the case this season. Gladbach have sported the second-best attack in the Bundesliga with 33 goals despite the fact that Stindl and Raffael have combined for just three this term.

Thorgan Hazard has led the charge for the Foals with eight goals and six assists in the league. Club record signing Alassane Plea has chipped in another eight goals and three assists. As a result, Raffael, who has battled calf issues this season, has come off the bench in his last three games.

"The team is also playing well without me," Raffael said in an interview with Sport Bild, a German sports magazine. "We are second and I am glad. When I come into the game, I will try to help them."

Florian Neuhaus and Jonas Hofmann, two midfielders who have combined for six goals and 11 assists, have also thrived in Hecking's system. Their developments have left the Gladbach coach with an embarrassment of riches going forward, even though Hofmann is expected to miss his third straight game with an injury.

Inconsistent form

Even with a strong attack, Gladbach has been prone to suffer inexplicable defeats. Their 3-1 loss against Freiburg in October was a head-scratcher, as was their 5-0 loss to Leverkusen in the second round of the German Cup.

Fortunately for the Foals, Hoffenheim have been just as inconsistent. In games that follow their Champions League contests, the Sinsheim-based club has two wins, two draws and a loss. Julian Nagelsmann's side has also collected just two points against the five other teams currently in the upper third of the Bundesliga table.

Read more: Is European football too much for some Bundesliga teams?

Gladbach's trip to Rhein-Neckar-Arena this weekend is their first of two tough trips remaining before the winter break. The Foals still must face the league leaders in Dortmund before the end of 2018.

With BVB still unbeaten on the season, getting three points in Sinsheim will be paramount for Gladbach to keep pace and raise the stakes for their meeting on Matchday 17.

Elsewhere on Matchday 15

— After spending 11 seasons with Dortmund, Nuri Sahin will return to the Westfalenstadion for the first time since departing the club for Werder Bremen. His new side are looking to build on a 3-1 win against Düsseldorf which ended a five-game winless skid.

— Bayern head to Hanover this weekend after a thrilling 3-3 draw with Ajax in the Champions League. The defending Bundesliga champions have beaten the 96ers in their last 11 Bundesliga matchups.

— Hertha Berlin could pick up their third win on the bounce when they face a struggling Stuttgart side on Saturday. With Frankfurt and Leipzig set to play on Sunday, a victory would put Hertha, at least temporarily, back in the top four.

Bundesliga Matchday 15 fixtures

Nuremberg vs. Wolfsburg (Friday, 8:30 p.m. CET)

Hoffenheim vs. Mönchengladbach (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. CET)
Hannover vs. Bayern Munich
Stuttgart vs. Hertha Berlin
Augsburg vs. Schalke
Fortuna Düsseldorf vs. Freiburg

Borussia Dortmund vs. Werder Bremen (Saturday, 6:30 p.m. CET)

Leipzig vs. Mainz (Sunday, 3:30 p.m. CET)

Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Leverkusen (Sunday, 6:00 p.m. CET)