Bundesliga Team of the Week: Matchday 21
Borussia Dortmund's two-goal debutant Michy Batshuayi partners Hannover's Niclas Füllkrug in attack, while Bayern Munich superstar James Rodriguez also makes the latest edition of our Official Fantasy Team of the Week. Read on to find out who else has earned a place in our Matchday 21 all-star XI!
Goalkeeper
Sven Ulreich (Bayern Munich, 12 points)
Ulreich’s display in the 2-0 victory against Mainz was the latest in a string of impressive performances that have seen the Schorndorf native emerge from Manuel Neuer’s shadow this season. The 29-year-old secured his seventh clean-sheet bonus of the campaign at the OPEL ARENA, keeping out all four shots that came his way. No other German goalkeeper has kept more shut-outs in the Bundesliga this term.
Defenders
Dayot Upamecano (RB Leipzig, 14 points)
The France Under-21 international belied his tender years with another mature performance in his team's 1-0 win at Borussia Mönchengladbach. Only Diego Demme saw more of the ball (99 touches) than Upamecano (76) against the Foals, while the 19-year-old also earned himself an extra nine points by winning 16 challenges - just one fewer than RBL captain Willi Orban.
Willi Orban (RB Leipzig, 14 points)
Orban’s performance in the narrow win at the BORUSSIA-PARK underlined his status as one of the finest central defenders in Germany. Not only did the 24-year-old help Ralph Hasenhüttl’s side secure a fourth clean sheet of the season, he also won an astonishing 90 per cent of his attempted duels - 17 in total - earning him a whopping nine-point bonus!
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Midfielders
Martin Hinteregger (Augsburg, 14 points)
Keeping the likes of Sebastien Haller, Kevin-Prince Boateng and Marco Fabian quiet for 90 minutes is no mean feat, but Hinteregger and his colleagues never looked in danger of slipping up at home to Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday. The Austria international was particularly impressive at the heart of the hosts’ defence, winning 73 per cent of his challenges to help his team climb to seventh in the standings with a 3-0 victory.
Andre Schürrle (Borussia Dortmund, 15 points)
Schürrle was directly involved in seven of the Yellow-Blacks’ 17 attempts against Cologne, with one of his three efforts proving to be the all-important winning goal! The Germany international has missed a sizeable chunk of the current campaign with a torn thigh muscle, but Friday’s display suggests he is eager to rediscover his best form as soon as possible - particularly with the 2018 FIFA World Cup looming large on the horizon.
Watch: Schürrle: "It's a great feeling for me"
Corentin Tolisso (Bayern Munich, 13 points)
Franck Ribery and James Rodriguez may have grabbed the goals at the OPEL ARENA, but Tolisso played an integral part in the Bavarians’ 17th league victory of the season. The France international was directly involved in seven of the visitors’ 13 attempts (four shots, three assists) and laid on James’s crucial second goal on the stroke of half-time - his third league assist of the campaign.
James Rodriguez (Bayern Munich, 14 points)
Bayern’s Colombian superstar was simply sensational against Sandro Schwarz’s side. The Real Madrid loanee had more touches (101) than any other player at the OPEL ARENA, won 65 per cent of his attempted duels and doubled the visitors’ lead with an emphatic volley into the bottom corner of Robin Zentner’s net, lifting his Matchday 21 total up to 14 points. James claimed afterwards that it had been an intense encounter, but the 26-year-old made it look easy!
Watch: James: "It was an intense game"
Ja-Cheol Koo (Augsburg, 13 points)
Anything James can do, Koo can do too! The South Korea international opened the scoring in Augsburg’s win over Frankfurt, squeezing a clever finish in off the far post for his second goal in four league appearances. Koo refused to rest on his laurels after putting his team in front early on, though, clocking up 7.3 miles (11.7 kilometres) in total at the WWK Arena - more than any other Augsburg player.
Caiuby (Augsburg, 14 points)
Named in the Official Fantasy Team of the Week for the second weekend running, Caiuby continued his fine form against Niko Kovac’s troops on Sunday, setting up Michael Gregoritsch’s ninth goal of the season in the 76th minute. The Brazilian also had more shots (four) than anyone else on the pitch and was involved in more duels (35) than any of his team-mates. I hope you’re reading this, Tite!
Michy Batshuayi (Borussia Dortmund, 18 points)
Pierre-Emerick who? Life at Dortmund after Aubameyang doesn’t seem quite as gloomy following Batshuayi’s stunning debut performance for Peter Stöger’s side. The Belgium international scored either side of the interval before setting up Schürrle’s winner against Cologne at the RheinEnergieSTADION, securing the MD21 Man of the Matchday award in the process. The BVB faithful will be expecting more of the same against Hamburg next weekend. No pressure, Michy!
Watch: Batshuayi: "Everything is perfect"
Niclas Füllkrug (Hannover, 15 points)
Hannover’s in-form frontman failed to make the scoresheet in the 1-1 draw against HSV, but it was not for the lack of trying! Füllkrug was directly involved in seven of the Reds’ 15 attempts at the Volksparkstadion (three shots, four assists) and also attempted more duels (44) than any other player on the pitch, his 27 successful challenges earning him an extra 10 points.