Haaland among Dortmund trio dominating Bundesliga team of the week's return
The Bundesliga made it's long awaited return over the weekend, culminating in Bayer Leverkusen's impressive 4-1 win at struggling Werder Bremen.
After a slow start, taking close to half an hour for the first goal to be scored on Saturday, there was plenty of entertainment, with 26 goals celebrated with countless elbow bumps! As such, there were a number of standout performers worthy of commendation, so without further ado here is the first Bundesliga team of the week since lockdown...
Rune Jarstein (Hertha Berlin) - 7.98
One of five goalkeepers to keep a clean sheet in gameweek 26, the Norwegian played a pivotal role in what was perhaps the upset of the round as Hertha scored three unanswered second half goals at Hoffenheim. Their veteran keeper was forced into just two saves, one of which hit him where it hurts to deny the hosts late on. By any means necessary...
Benjamin Pavard (Bayern Munich) - 8.92
Netting his third league goal of the season for his new club, Pavard's towering header from Joshua Kimmich's corner put Bayern's game against Union Berlin beyond doubt. The Frenchman was a threat all evening on Sunday, mustering three shots in total as well as completing three tackles and interceptions apiece.
Manuel Gulde (Freiburg) - 7.91
While Hertha's victory was the most surprising of the round, Freiburg's point at RB Leipzig was arguably the biggest shock in general, with Gulde's first - albeit fortuitous - goal of the season ensuring the visitors dented their hosts' title hopes. The centre-back, who took a place alongside Pavard in our most improved team of the season, earned his highest match rating of the campaign having won four aerial duels and three tackles.
Jordan Torunarigha (Hertha Berlin) - 7.49
Hertha's young centre-back has certainly made a good impact since returning to the side from injury this year and put in another impressive display on Saturday. The 22-year-old was credited with the assist for Matheus Cunha's superb solo goal - arguably the best of the round - an completed an exceptional 94.4 per cent of 72 passes in total, including ten long balls.
Ramy Bensebaini (Borussia M'Gladbach) - 8.14
Whilst his debut season in Germany has been disrupted by injury, Bensebaini has enjoyed an excellent campaign when fit, operating from the left of The Foals' back four. The Algerian scored his fifth goal in just 12 appearances this season, with the latest coming from the spot, and registered his first assist of the season as Gladbach made a statement start to their 3-1 win at Frankfurt.
Alassane Plea (Borussia M'Gladbach) - 8.22
Another representative of our most improved XI this season, Plea picked up where he left off in fine form, starting from the right wing in Gladbach's convincing win over Frankfurt. The Frenchman opened the scoring with his ninth league goal of the season inside two minutes, hitting the woodwork with another of his five shots in total and chipping in with three tackles to boot.
Julian Brandt (Borussia Dortmund) - 8.73
In what was a real statement performance upon their return to action, thumping rivals Schalke 4-0 in the Revierderby, Brandt pulled the strings and picked the visitors apart all afternoon. He registered two assists from three key passes, completed three dribbles and even won five tackles to ensure Dortmund could hit Schalke on the break with real frequency.
Kerem Demirbay (Bayer Leverkusen) - 8.43
To say it's been a low key start to life at Leverkusen from Demirbay would not be an understatement, though the former Hoffenheim star looked back to his best upon the league's return. Having registered the assist for Leverkusen's second goal on Monday night the midfielder duly added his first goal for the club and B04's fourth on the night with an impudent chip over the onrushing Jiri Pavlenka late on.
Raphael Guerreiro (Borussia Dortmund) - 9.33
A worthy player of the week, Guerreiro has often been overlooked this season due to the form of Achraf Hakimi on the opposite flank but the left wing-back was the star of the show on Saturday. The Portugal international's sixth and seventh Bundesliga goals of the season were both superbly taken, with the latter a sensational improvised finish on the slide with the outside of his favoured left foot. He tormented Schalke all afternoon in attack whilst also contributing with five tackles in a dominant display.
Kai Havertz (Bayer Leverkusen) - 8.42
B04's 20-year-old captain fantastic was just pipped to the man of the match award at Werder Bremen by the aforementioned Demirbay having scored the visitors first two goals in a 4-1 win. The youngster has been in sensational form since the turn of the year and has returned at this particular restart in fine fashion once more, leading by example from the front in Peter Bosz's young attacking line up.
Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund) - 8.64
If you had money on any other player scoring the first Bundesliga goal back in action than Haaland, what were you thinking?! The Norwegian netted his tenth Bundesliga goal since arriving in January just before the half hour mark to open the floodgates against Schalke with a typically cool and somewhat nonchalant finish. The teenager would later help round off the scoring with a fine return pass into that man Guerreiro for his second assist in yellow.
