Bayern Munich have yet to take part in Bundesliga action this matchday, but they were still the big winners of the week after picking up yet another piece of silverware and announcing some massive Bundesliga 2021 news.
On the pitch, Eintracht Frankfurt were one of the rare winners in a matchday that was full of draws as they continued their sensational form in 2021. Meanwhile, Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund dropped more points and remain outside of the Champions League places.
So without further ado, here are SBOTOP’s big winners and losers of Matchday 21 in the Bundesliga.
Winner: Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich made more history in Qatar last week as they won the FIFA Club World Cup. It was their sixth trophy in a year, a remarkable feat which only one other club – the great Barcelona team of 2008/09 – had achieved.
And as if that wasn’t good enough, the German giants went out and announced the signing of RB Leipzig star centre-back Dayot Upamecano this weekend. Bayern beat out several of the top clubs in the world, including Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and Real Madrid, for the promising young Frenchman’s signature.
Upamecano will join a Bayern backline which already features fellow Frenchmen Benjamin Pavard and Lucas Hernandez. He will also help fill the hole to be left by David Alaba, who is reportedly set to join Real Madrid on a free transfer.
It’s already looking as though Bayern will win their ninth straight Bundesliga title this season. And with Upamecano locked up – and one of their top challengers in RB Leipzig weakened – their chances of extending that amazing streak to 10 and beyond just got even better.
Loser: Borussia Dortmund
While things are going great for Germany’s biggest club, it’s been the opposite for the country’s second-biggest side as Borussia Dortmund were held to a 2-2 draw at home by struggling Hoffenheim.
Erling Haaland and Jadon Sancho both scored, but it wasn’t enough as BVB have now won just once in their last six league matches. Due to that disastrous run of form, they are now in sixth, six points back from the fourth and final Champions League place.
Dortmund will be in Champions League action against Sevilla this week. The economic impact of missing out on the tournament next season would be disastrous for Dortmund and could see them fall even further behind not just Bayern but other clubs in the Bundesliga pecking order.
Winner: Mainz
Six of the eight Bundesliga matches this weekend ended in draws, but by far the most exciting of which was Mainz’s 2-2 draw at Bayer Leverkusen.
Mainz looked dead and buried as they were 2-0 down with just a minute left in normal time. But Robert Glatzel and Kevin Stoger scored two late goals to give the visitors an unexpected point.
Mainz are still in 17th place, five points from safety, while 16th-placed Arminia Bielefeld still have two games in hand.
However, Mainz’s form continues to improve as they’ve surprisingly taken points from top-half clubs. Over their last six games, they have also drawn at Dortmund, stunned Leipzig 3-2 at home, and beat Union Berlin.
If they can get a few more of those kinds of results, they could very well make their way out of the relegation zone.
Loser: Bayer Leverkusen
On the other end, Leverkusen’s dip in form in 2021 continues. They have won just two of their eight matches this year with four defeats as they’ve dropped from the top of the table in early December to fifth, three points out of the last Champions League places.
And with their Europa League campaign set to resume this week, Leverkusen could struggle even more to string consistent results in the league.
Winner: Eintracht Frankfurt
The struggles of Leverkusen and Dortmund have allowed red-hot Eintracht Frankfurt to rise up to third. The Eagles soared to their fourth straight win against Koln and have now won eight of their last nine in the league.
Andre Silva has continued his sensational goalscoring form as he scored for the sixth time in the last four games. The Portuguese striker is now up to 18 goals on the season, second behind Bayern’s Robert Lewandowski. Meanwhile, Serbian playmaker Filip Kostic has supplied five assists in his last four games.
Frankfurt’s schedule figures to get tougher over the next few weeks, which begins with a visit from Bayern this weekend. But with Silva and Kostic in fine form and Leverkusen and Dortmund struggling, don’t discount the Eagles’ Bundesliga 2021 odds of keeping their Champions League place.
Loser: Union Berlin
Union Berlin’s bubble appears to have burst. This season’s surprise package has now failed to win in five straight games after a goalless draw at home against bottom-club Schalke. That result comes after losing away to second-from-bottom Mainz last week.
Union initially did well to survive the long-term absence of top striker Max Kruse, but they are now missing his goals dearly.
Despite their dip in form, Union are still comfortably in midtable, well above the relegation zone. Survival was their main goal this season, so they should be happy they will almost surely stick around for another year. But any dreams they may have had of making Europe are now looking quite unlikely.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
