Best of Bundesliga: Big guns misfiring and birthday goals
September 10, 2017
Everything you need to know from Matchday 3 in the Bundesliga.
Good week for: Julian Nagelsmann, Timo Werner, Alfred Finnbogason, Bibiana Steinhaus
Bad week for: Cologne, Carlo Ancelotti, Bayer Leverkusen, VAR, Eurosport, ankles
Best bits:
- VAR once again had a successful, but also somewhat controversial, weekend.
- Naldo scored on his birthday. Schalke's Brazilian defender is a Bundesliga legend and despite turning 35 on Sunday, he rolled back the years to head in his 40th Bundesliga goal in their 3-1 win over Stuttgart.
- Borussia Dortmund might have suffered a tough time in their goalless draw with Freibrug (see injury news) but they're the only side in the Bundesliga yet to concede.
- Eintracht Frankfurt's Kevin-Prince Boateng delivered a touching gesture after scoring his first goal since joining the club in the summer. The Ghana international revealed a shirt dedicated to Ajax's Abdelhak Nouri who is currently recovering from a cardiac attack that left him with brain damage.
- Leverkusen's bad start continues as they sit second last in the table. Head coach Heiko Herrlich has now gone 13 Bundesliga games without a win.
- Alfred Finnbogason (pictured, top) scored the first hattrick of the new season against Cologne.
- Bayern Munich's defeat to Hoffenheim was their earliest league defeat in six years. Last year they first lost on Matchday 11.
- Last season, Cologne had seven points and had yet to concede at this stage. Now they're last in the table and have lost the first three league games.
Injury news:
- Borussia Dortmund picked up one point against the 10 men of Freiburg, but a few of their players also suffered nasty injuries. After returning from an ankle injury that kept him out for around six weeks, BVB captain Marcel Schmelzer looks set to be out for another long spell. A nasty tackle from Freiburg debutant Yoric Ravet saw Schmelzer turn his ankle and the club stated on Sunday that Schmelzer would be out for six weeks.
- BVB also lost Marc Bartra to injury in Freiburg. The Spaniard is suffering from a muscle injury in his adductors and may miss BVB's Champions League opener. The club are taking it day to day.
- HSV's Filip Kostic will be out for "at least four weeks" after suffering a thigh strain in the club's defeat to RB Leipizig.
- Wolfsburg captain Mario Gomez suffered an ankle injury against Hannover. While the club haven't put a timeframe on the striker's absence the fact Gomez's ankle joint and ligament are affected means the Germany striker will likely be out for at least a month.
Best quotes:
Click here for a full list of quotes on Bibiana Steinhaus' debut.
"They're not here because they have a nice haircut, or a pretty woman, or a nice family home."
Hoffenheim head coach Julian Nagelsmann about the quality of his new signings
"Maybe they changed the rules."
Bayern Munich's Carlo Ancelotti on the involvement of the second ball for Hoffenheim's opener (see below)
"When he does that, it's almost a distortion of competition."
RB Leipzig head coach Ralph Hasenhüttl on Timo Werner's pace
"What's happening at the moment is a catastrophe for football. Fans are having to carry the can for everything."
HSV head coach Markus Gisdol on Eurosport's renewed issues with streaming Friday night games
"What a load of crap."
Freiburg's Amir Abrashi on VAR
"I think Dortmund have to win in Freiburg if they play with a man more for an hour."
BVB head coach Peter Bosz
"The ballboys are always compelled to start the play quickly."
Hoffenheim head coach Julian Nagelsmann about how Hoffenheim scored their opener
"It wasn't a good free kick. I didn't hit it right."
Wolfsburg's Daniel Didavi on his free kick goal
"You can't forget - we are 11 new signings with 480 languages in the team."
Eintracht Frankfurt's Kevin-Prince Boateng
Bizarre Bundesliga:
Moments before Hoffenheim's opener against Bayern, Mats Hummels cleared the out-of-play ball up the field. It landed back in-play deep in Hoffenheim's half. The home side's ballboy reacted quickest, feeding a new ball to Andrej Kramaric who then threw the ball in behind Hummels (whose back was turned) and Mark Uth pounced to give the home side the lead. Some Bayern players appealed that a second ball was on the field and therefore play shouldn't have continued - but the referee can let play continue if the second ball isn't affecting play. Seeing as Hummels' clearance ended half a pitch away from the play, the decision to play on was correct - unfortunate for Bayern, but quick thinking from Hoffenheim!