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Following every round of Bundesliga fixtures, Pulse Sports presents the most impressive performers of the matchday.
Remarkably, Bundeliga action in matchweek 28 only served to confirm that neither of the big two – Borussia Dortmund or Bayern Munich – actually want to win the title. Here are the outstanding protagonists of the weekend’s action anyway.
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Goalkeeper
GK: Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim)
Hoffenheim's draw with league leaders Bayern Munich could have had more significant implications for the title race, but no bother. It was well-earned all the same, and was built on the foundation of a tremendous goalkeeping display by Oliver Baumann. Conceding only once from a post-shot xG of 2.44 is quite literally ridiculous. In all, he made seven saves, five of them from inside the 18-yard box. Pick of the bunch? His stunning 92nd-minute stop from Serge Gnabry.
Defenders
CB: Marcin Kaminski (Schalke)
Winning a six-pointer against fellow basement dwellers Hertha Berlin can only be a good thing for Schalke, and despite an eye-catching 5-2 scoreline, some praise is due Marcin Kaminski. It helps that the Pole scored, of course, but even beyond that he was dominant in the air, winning every aerial engagement and racking up eight clearances. He also distributed the ball extremely well, leading the match for completed passes and working it into the final third 11 times.
CB: Ivan Ordets (Bochum)
You can tell I love towering centre-back displays, can't you? Ivan Ordets won a penalty in this game, but that's not even the point. Eleven aerial duels won. Blimey! Nothing got past the Ukraine international, safe to say, and nothing on the ground escaped his notice either, considering he racked up eight ball recoveries to boot. Monstrous performance against one of the league's more direct teams in Union Berlin.
CB: Timo Hubers (Koln)
Koln came through an awkward test against Mainz impressively, and for that Timo Hubers makes his second appearance in three weeks in a TOTW. The 26-year-old won 11 of 14 duels in the air and on the ground. When you have to deal with a striker like Ludovic Ajorque, the value of that cannot be overstated. He also made 10 ball recoveries, while completing the most passes in the game (six of them into the final third).
Midfielders
RWB: Joshua Vagnoman (Stuttgart)
Look, you can't make omelettes without breaking eggs. So don't let the fact that Joshua Vagnoman missed two big chances distract you from the fact that Sutttgart's right wing-back was an absolute dynamo against Borussia Dortmund. The 22-year-old won seven duels, two tackles, completed three of four dribbles and created three chances overall. That's what you want from a wing-back, really.
CM: Dennis Geiger (Hoffenheim)
If you’re going to get a result away at Bayern Munich, you’re going to do more than your fair share of battling. Dennis Geiger clearly understood the assignment, and went about it with gusto. The 24-year-old won eight duels, two tackles and excelled at hoovering up second balls. There was quality on the ball as well, as he completed 86% of his passes and showed poise to step away from pressure and progress the ball into dangerous areas.
CM: Maximilian Eggestein (Freiburg)
He just ate up the ground in the middle of the park, did Maximilian Eggestein. How else do you characterise winning 13 duels, being perfect in the tackle and hoovering up second balls for fun? It was an exhilarating comeback victory for Freiburg away at Werder, and it was made possible by the industry of this man right here, who ran through brick walls to see help his side within touching distance of a Champions League spot.
LWB: Christopher Lenz (Eintracht Frankfurt)
If Vagnoman was all fire and bustle, Christopher Lenz was the picture of composure. His shooting was a little wayward, but no bother – he still fashioned two excellent chances for Eintracht Frankfurt, while completing three dribbles and hitting double digits for passes into the final third. An accomplished showing from the wing-back in a game Eintracht were somewhat unfortunate to only draw.
Forwards
RW: Donyell Malen (Borussia Dortmund)
Borussia Dortmund's title challenge seems to be hitting a wall now, but Donyell Malen's form at the business end is at least offering a measure of solace. For so long missing through injury, Malen has now scored in four league matches in a row. Here, he bagged a goal and an assist, while completing three dribbles to give Dortmund an advantage they sadly frittered away in improbable fashion.
CF: Timo Werner (RB Leipzig)
The reality of this may be disputed by fans of the Premier League, but Timo Werner is actually a quite handy finisher. Or at least he was at the weekend, as RB Leipzig dispatched Augsburg. When you 0.4 xG into 0.96 post-shot xG, you have added a lot of value to the quality of your chances. Two goals in three minutes put the hosts firmly in the driver’s seat, and Werner also assisted Kevin Kampl’s early equaliser.
LW: Marius Bulter (Schalke)
Two goals from three shots on target just screams finishing quality, doesn’t it. Marius Bulter was on the money for Schalke as they destroyed Hertha, scoring from close in and far out, completing two of three dribbles and five passes into the final third, and making nine ball recoveries – an all-action display. He was also strong in duels, going six for eight, and doing his bit in his own penalty box as well.
LIGUE 1 Team of Week 31: Mbappe leads the way, Doku and two Vitinhas star
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