Top 5 Bundesliga Moments of the Season so Far

Football is finally set to return to our TV screens as the majorly anticipated return of the Bundesliga is edging ever closer and we will finally be able to revel in the exciting end to the season that it has to offer.

There is no doubt that the remaining nine games will create some great moments, but they will only be adding to what has already been a fantastic season. It has been a year full of twists and turns in the Bundesliga, as there have been huge upsets, fantastic solo performances as well as some history being made. 

Here, we will look at five of the best moments you may have missed.

Back on November 9, marked Hans-Dieter Flick' debut as Bayern Munich’s new manager and whilst he couldn’t have asked for a better start, the day belonged to Robert Lewandowski. 

Bouncing back from the sacking of manager Niko Kovac and an embarrassing 5-1 defeat at the hands of Frankfurt, a game against bitter rivals Dortmund was the last thing they needed when trying to steady the ship. The game dubbed ‘Der Klassiker’ is always an exciting one, but in a moment of turbulence, exciting wasn’t what Bayern and their new coach needed. At least, so they thought.

There was no need for any concern, as Lewandowski scored twice against his former club and helped Bayern to an easy 4-0 win. Bayern’s talisman notched his 15th and 16th goals of the season, becoming the first man to reach that total in 11 matchdays. One record wasn’t enough for the striker though, as he also became the first man in Bundesliga history to score in 11-consecutive matches. 

It was a record-breaking day for Lewandowski, not just for adding more to his collection, but giving his new boss the perfect start to life at the helm.

If Flick’s debut on the touchline was good, Erling Haaland’s debut on the pitch was out of this world. The 19-year-old came off the bench to score a 34-minute hat-trick, helping his new club Dortmund to come from behind and beat Augsburg 5-3. 

Haaland had spent the first half of the season with RB Salzburg where his goalscoring exploits with the Austrian side earning him the title of one of the brightest young players in football. When Dortmund signed the striker in January, but I think it's fair to see he took everyone by surprise.

The Norwegian made his presence known almost immediately, three minutes after his introduction the striker slotted home with just his second touch of the ball. And, a few touches of the ball later, Haaland had his hat-trick.

It was an electric start to life in the Bundesliga for the 19-year-old and his debut will go down as not just one of the best ever Bundesliga debuts. The sky truly is the limit for this youngster.

Union Berlin gained promotion to the Bundesliga for the first time in their history last season and they couldn’t have secured their first ever win in the competition in any better way, as they beat Dortmund 3-1 at home. 

Few gave the Berlin side a prayer against Dortmund, but the Bundesliga newcomers clearly hadn’t read the script. Marius Bulter was the unlikely hero, scoring two goals to help his side secure the win. Bulter finished last season getting relegated from the German second division before joining Berlin on loan.

Going from second-tier relegation to your first experience of top-flight football is a big enough rise as it is, and etching your name into your new club’s history books is the icing on the cake. 

Bulter’s two clever finishes and some unbelievable scenes from the crowds meant that this game went down in Bundesliga history, and thus making it one of the great moments of the season.

After a four-game winless run in the Bundesliga saw Leipzig drop from top of the league down to sixth, they were desperate to turn their fortunes around against Mainz. Any kind of win would have sufficed, but an 8-0 demolition job showed that Leipzig, and particularly their talisman Timo Werner, still meant business. 

The German international had a hand in six of the eight goals, securing a hat-trick of assists as well as three goals of his own. It was the inspired performance that Leipzig were crying out for and this will go down as one of this season’s most impressive displays in the Bundesliga.

Werner made his presence known early, just five minutes into the game as he burst down the left before drilling a perfect cross across the six-yard box for Marcel Sabitzer to bundle home. Half an hour later, Werner had a goal and another assist to his name and the signs of a whitewash were starting to show.

The striker didn’t have a hand in the next two goals as Leipzig went into half time 5-0 up. Two goals either side of an excellent assist for Nordi Mukiele in the second half, however, meant that Werner completed the eight-goal rout as well as his two hat-tricks; one of goals and one of assists. 

The win showed exactly why both Leipzig and Werner deserve all of the praise they get, putting to bed any doubts that they can’t compare to the Bundesliga’s elite.

Leipzig aren’t the only side who have looked for an inspired performance after a run of poor results. Bayern Munich don’t often lose games, let alone two in a row, but that is exactly what they had to endure after 2-1 defeats to both Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Monchengladbach.

The two losses meant that the Bavarians dropped down to seventh and a win against Werder Bremen next was paramount if they wanted to get back on track for a title charge. 

In a game where inspiration was needed, Phillipe Coutinho showed exactly why his parent club Barcelona spent over £130m on him just a season earlier. When Milot Rashica put Bremen 1-0 up which soon sparked the masterclass from the former Liverpool star.

Coutinho tapped home his first goal before teeing up Lewandowski on the stroke of half time to give Bayern a narrow lead before the break. The Brazilian would then score an outrageous lob before turning provider for Thomas Muller after Lewandowski’s second. Coutinho finally completed his hat-trick when his curling effort from 20 yards out secured the 6-1 rout for Bayern - this five-goal contribution marked his most prolific 90-minute return to date.

This game became the turning point for the Bavarians after the scare dealt to them by Leverkusen and Monchengladbach. Coutinho’s masterclass might just be the catalyst in what could be another title-winning run and Bundesliga triumph number 29.

By Jak Richardson