The Bundesliga goes into hibernation as the winter break is upon us. Time to take a look back at the first half of the season.

Bayer Leverkusen have won the Pyrrhic “Herbstmeister” (Autumn Champions) -title. Vizekusen, as the club is derogatorily referred to (akin to Michael Ballack’s record of coming second best), will hope that they can replicate their form of the first part of the season in the new year. There are good reasons to believe that they can: a coach that has instilled real belief in the team and returning players from injury (Renato Augusto, Simon Rolfes, Patrick Helmes) will further boost the quality of the squad.

Leverkusen are only the third team in the history of the Bundesliga to have completed the first 17 games without a single loss – conceding  only 13 goals (level with Schalke) and scoring 35, the most of any team in the Bundesliga. Instrumental to the success has been Sami Hyypia, the veteran defender signed from Liverpool, who has succeed in stabilising the defence. In midfield Toni Kroos the German “supertalent” on loan from Bayern München has played in all matches this season, scoring six goals and providing a further four assists. In attack the pairing of Kiessling and Derdiyok has combined well – especially Kiessling, top scorer of the league with 12 goals, is set on proving his merits to national team coach Jogi Löw.

The tops

Schalke have performed remarkably well – second position in the league, tied for least goals conceded with Leverkusen. Coach Felix Magath has really worked miracles with his squad of previously unknown players from the reserves and veteran players such as Kevin Kuranyi (second best German goalscorer in the league).

Borussia Dortmund – despite the distractions of their 100 year anniversary this weekend the team eked out a 1:0 home victory against Freiburg. Coach Jürgen Klopp has led the ‘schwarz-gelben’ to fifth place.

Borussia Mönchengladbach have played admiraby well  – new signing Arango deserves special mention as does the youngster and crowd favourite Reuss. Gladbach featured in one of the best games of the season – the cliff-hanger 3-3 draw against Bochum.

The flops

Hertha BSC. 17 games. 13 losses. Tally: 6 points. The club from the capital are in the doldrums and switching coaches hasn’t helped them either. Last season they came in fourth place – admittedly finishing higher than anyone would have predicted, but their spectacular demise is a big surprise.

Stuttgart also recently parted company with their coach and are not in a relegation position by virtue of a better goal difference. The Swabians will face a tough battle after the winter break – not least recovering from a hiding from Barcelona in the Champions League.

Highlights

The own goal festival: Mönchengladbach – Hannover (5:3)

Karl-Heinz Rummenige ode to Franz Beckenbauer at the AGM – Beckenbauer retired as President (in German only)

Borussia Dortmund 100 year anniversary

The Bundesliga blog will take a Christmas break and will be back in the new year!

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Results:

Bayern München - Hertha Berlin (5:2)
Dortmund - Freiburg (1:0)
Leverkusen - Gladbach (3:2)
Hannover - Bochum (2:3)
Frankfurt - Wolfsburg (2:2)
Stuttgart - Hoffenheim (3:1)
Hamburg - Bremen (2:1)
Köln - Nürnberg (3:0)

Table

1. Leverkusen 35
2. Schalke 34
3. Bayern München 33
4. Hamburg 31
5. Dortmund 30
6. Bremen 28
7. Hoffenheim 25
8. Wolfsburg 24
9. Mainz 24
10. Frankfurt 24
11. Gladbach 21
12. Köln 18
13. Freiburg 18
14. Hannover 17
15. Stuttgart 16
16. Bochum 16
17. Nürnberg 12
18. Hertha Berlin 6