As ever matchday three of the Bundesliga provided the usual mixture of goals, talking points and top individual performances. So, just who has made into the latest Bundesliga Fanatic Team of the Week?
1- Alexander Nübel (VfB Stuttgart)
The Stuttgart keeper had a bit of a nightmare on matchday 2 against RB Leipzig with one howler leading to a goal and another only saved by VAR. On Saturday he redeemed himself with a top display. The strikers will get the plaudits for their five goals, but Nübel made some great saves at 0-0 to deny Freiburg and simply wasn’t going to be beaten this weekend.
2- Robert Skov (Hoffenheim)
While not a game-changer, the half time introduction of Robert Skov did prove a masterstroke from Hoffenheim coach Pellegrino Matarazzo as the Dane provided the assist for TSG’s second goal with a precise cross to make it 2-1 and then scored the third himself as he fired in off the post. A really effective 45 minutes work and surely worthy of a start next week.
3- Mitchell Weiser (Werder Bremen)
Werder’s start to the season had been poor, but that changed with a 4-0 win over Mainz this weekend. Right wingback Weiser raised his game both defensively and offensively to help see his side to a first win. His perfect cross set up Jens Stage for the second goal.
4- Mohamed Simakan (RB Leipzig)
Willi Orban for once has to take a back seat in the defensive plaudits with his partner Simakan getting the nod this week. Having scored four in both of their opening fixtures Union were on fire, but Simakan was one of the major factors for keeping them off the scoresheet this weekend.
5- Julian Chabot (Köln)
He was quite simply a wall against Frankfurt on Sunday and the Billy Goats can be very disappointed to concede such a late equaliser. It came as no coincidence that Chabot had been forced off injured before the goal finally arrived. Immense on Sunday.
6- Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich)
This was prime Joshua Kimmich in the big game with Mönchengladbach. He provided the structure in the Bayern midfield, dictated the play, played the key passes forward and provided both assists for the two Bayern goals. Potential back-up at right back? I don’t think we’ll be seeing that based on this!
7- Xavi Simons (RB Leipzig)
It’s a second successive appearance in the Team of the Week for Leipzig’s Xavi Simons and it’s richly deserved after his superb display against Union Berlin. His goal broke the deadlock and is already a potential contender for Goal of the season (let alone Goal of the Month) and his assist set up Benjamin Sesko to make it 2-0. He was everywhere in the Leipzig midfield, pressing and passing. There is a very good reason the Sachsen side broke their unwritten rule about not signing temporary loans!
8- Chris Führich (VfB Stuttgart)
Führich was in the Team of the Week on matchday one after a top display and the MHP Arena and he was at it again this week against Freiburg. He added a second goal of the season and was the creative force going forward for a rampant Swabian XI.
9- Takuma Asano (VfL Bochum)
The Japanese was involved in almost all of Bochum’s dangerous offensive actions and was the decisive player in the game equalising twice to hand his side a share of the points.
10- Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen)
Another player with a second successive appearance in the Team of the Week. Nigerian striker Boniface is loving life at Leverkusen and having him as the focal point in attack is making the Werkself a deadly outfit. His first goal against Darmstadt was a powerful and skilful solo effort, while his second was an ice cold finish. He also provided an unselfish assist for Jonas Hofmann’s goal.
11- Serhou Guirassy (VfB Stuttgart)
The VfB striker made it five goals in three matches this season with another brace (his second) against Freiburg. He is looking extremely clinical this season and Stuttgart will see retaining him as their best piece of summer business. Philipp Lienhart and Matthias Ginter couldn’t cope with him on Saturday and on this form he will beat last season’s tally of eleven goals before Christmas.
Honorary mentions: Mönchengladbach keeper Moritz Nicolas had a very impressive game against Bayern deputising for Jonas Omlin while Heidenheim goalkeeper Kevin Müller also deserves a mention.
Hiroki Ito had a good at the back for Stuttgart as did Romano Schmid in midfield for Werder Bremen and Granit Xhaka for Leverkusen. Benjamin Sesko’s two late goals saw him get his Bundesliga scoring career off the ground against Union.
