Bundesliga Team of the Week: Matchday 10
Bayern Munich star James Rodriguez, Borussia Mönchengladbach forward Thorgan Hazard and Bayer Leverkusen's flying winger Leon Bailey are just three of the stars who have found their way into the bundesliga.com Team of the Week for Matchday 10! Find out who else made the cut below!
Goalkeeper
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Marvin Hitz (Augsburg, 10 points)
Werder Bremen enjoyed 17 shots against Die Fuggerstädter at the Weser Stadium on Sunday but could not find a way past Hitz, who produced a string of excellent saves to secure a 3-0 victory and a fourth clean sheet of the season for FCA. He may be behind Yann Sommer in the Swiss national team pecking order, but on this evidence the Gladbach stopper cannot afford to rest on his laurels.
Defenders
Benjamin Pavard (VfB Stuttgart, 15 points)
The versatile Frenchman has played every minute of Stuttgart’s league campaign so far, and capped another fine performance in the Swabians' 3-0 victory at Freiburg with his first ever Bundesliga goal! The 21-year-old completed more passes (134) than any other player at the Mercedes-Benz-Arena on Saturday, while helping Hannes Wolf's side to a fourth home clean sheet of the season.
Javi Martinez (Bayern Munich, 17 points)
The Spain international has started three of Bayern's four games under Jupp Heynckes so far this season, and it doesn't look like he'll be losing his place in the Bavarians' starting XI anytime soon! After James had given the hosts the lead at home to RB Leipzig, it was Martinez who unlocked the visitors' defence for Bayern's all-important second goal, threading a superb pass through for Robert Lewandowski's tenth league goal of the campaign.
Watch: Martinez on Bayern's "tough schedule"
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Matthias Ginter (Borussia Mönchengladbach, 15 points)
After losing 5-1 at home to Bayer Leverkusen in their previous league encounter, Gladbach and Ginter responded in style to inflict a first home defeat on Hoffenheim since May 2016. Ginter, who is looking to impress Joachim Löw ahead of next summer’s World Cup finals, nodded home the Foals’ second at the WIRSOL Rhein-Neckar-Arena, helping lift Dieter Hecking’s side into the top six for the first time since Matchday 2.
Philipp Max (Augsburg, 14 points)
Not only did the full-back cover more ground than any other Augsburg player against Bremen, he also set up Michael Gregoritsch for the all-important opener at the Weser Stadium. Max’s only previous international experience came at the 2016 Olympic Games, where he scored one and assisted another as Germany reached the final of the tournament. With the 2018 FIFA World Cup fast approaching, could the 24-year-old be set for a surprise call-up to the national team squad?
Midfielders
James Rodriguez (Bayern Munich, 19 points)
The Colombia international is fast developing into a big-game player for Bayern. Having grabbed a goal and an assist at Schalke on Matchday 5, James broke Leipzig’s resistance with a superbly-taken opener that set the Bavarians on their way to a 2-0 victory over last season's runners-up, which lifted them to the top of the Bundesliga for the first time this season!
James was named MD10 Man of the Matchday on the back of his performance against Leipzig.
Michael Gregoritsch (Augsburg, 19 points)
Gregoritsch has hit something of a purple patch of late, netting four goals in just three league appearances in October. The 23-year-old continued his rich vein of form at the Weser Stadium, nodding the visitors in front from Max’s cross before putting the seal on FCA’s comfortable victory in the second half. He might even have had a hat-trick, but could only find the upright with a header shortly after half-time.
Vincenzo Grifo (Borussia Mönchengladbach, 18 points)
The summer signing from Freiburg was handed his first start of the campaign against Hoffenheim after sitting out Gladbach’s first six league games of 2017/18 with a knee injury. The 24-year-old, who has only ever featured for Italy at Under-20 level, was simply outstanding in Sinsheim, striking the woodwork on two occasions as well as setting up Borussia’s first two goals.
Forwards
Thorgan Hazard (Borussia Mönchengladbach, 15 points)
The Belgium international netted Gladbach's equaliser against Hoffenheim, continuing his impressive record of being directly involved in a goal a game since Matchday 4. Having made his full international debut in Belgium’s 4-0 win against Cyprus last month, Hazard will be desperate to feature at next summer's World Cup in Russia.
Ihlas Bebou (Hannover, 19 points)
Top scorer Martin Harnik missed Hannover’s thrilling 4-2 win over Dortmund with a bout of flu, and the veteran forward could now face a battle to reclaim his place in the Reds attack! Togo international Bebou was too hot to handle for BVB at the HDI-Arena, finishing off two superb counterattacks to secure a memorable victory for Andre Breitenreiter’s high-flying side.
Leon Bailey (Bayer Leverkusen, 15 points)
Another player in scintillating form of late, Bailey notched his first home goal for Leverkusen in Die Werkself’s come-from-behind 2-1 victory over struggling neighbours Cologne. Against the Billy Goats, Bailey had more shots, attempted more crosses and won more duels than any other Leverkusen player. The Jamaica international has now scored three and assisted two in his last five appearances for Heiko Herrlich’s side.
Watch: Bailey: "It tastes like champagne!"