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Bundesliga Bulletin: Dortmund do enough, Hector the hero

Matt Pearson
April 21, 2021

Borussia Dortmund kept their Champions League hopes alive, while Bayern Munich moved a step close to nine in a row. But it was Cologne captain Jonas Hector who stole the show in the shadow of the Super League.

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Borussia Dortmund's players celebrate their winner
Borussia Dortmund's players celebrate their winnerImage: Ina Fassbender/REUTERS

Did Bayern Munich win in midweek?

Yes. And not just on the pitch. The German champions, and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in particular, played their hand perfectly during the European Super League shenanigans and then cruised to a 2-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen. Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Joshua Kimmich both scored within 13 minutes and a win over Mainz at the weekend will make it nine titles in a row. That sort of dominance doesn't look like such a major problem for European football right now.

Did Borussia Dortmund win in midweek?

They did, but not in entirely convincing fashion. Visitors Union Berlin hit the bar within seconds of kickoff and Dortmund looked shaky until Marco Reus bought a penalty and then bundled home the rebound after Erling Haaland missed from the spot in the 27th minute. BVB improved as the game wore on and sealed a 2-0 win late on through Raphaël Guerreiro. Edin Terzic's side also welcomed back Jadon Sancho off the bench, but a late booking for Mats Hummels means he'll miss the Champions League crunch match against Wolfsburg on Saturday.

Were there any surprises in the Bundesliga in midweek?

We didn't have to wait long for one this matchday, with Cologne's 2-1 win over second-placed RB Leipzig in the early match on Tuesday absolutely critical for Cologne and Schalke, who were later relegated after losing to Arminia Bielefeld. That was less of a surprise. Cologne's goalscorer was though. Club captain and icon Jonas Hector scored his first brace in his 163rd Bundesliga match, and both goals were pretty special, too.

What was the game of midweek in the Bundesliga?

No contest here really. Borussia Mönchengladbach looked to be cruising in Sinsheim after Alassane Plea and Valentino Lazaro scored with the Foals' only two efforts on target. But hosts Hoffenheim, who were unfortunate to go in behind, turned it up a notch after the break, with an Andrej Kramaric brace and Ihlas Bebou's goal turning the game on its head in a 12-minute spell. Marco Rose's mini-revival has ground to a sudden halt.

What does the top six in the Bundesliga look like?

  • 1. Bayern Munich — 71 points
  • 2. RB Leipzig — 61
  • 3. Wolfsburg — 57
  • 4. Eintracht Frankfurt — 56
  • 5. Borussia Dortmund — 52
  • 6. Bayer Leverkusen — 47

Who is in the Bundesliga relegation zone?

  • 15. Bielefeld — 30
    -----------------------------
  • 16. Hertha — 26*
    -----------------------------
  • 17. Cologne — 26
  • 18. Schalke — 13 (relegated)

* Two games in hand

What was the funniest thing said in the Bundesliga in midweek?

Compare and contrast...