The Bundesliga are experiencing interesting times as last season's biggest clubs experience one debacle after another. The latest news to come out of the German top flight include Bayern Munich fighting in unfamiliar territory and Borussia Dortmund wallowing outside of the league's top five spots for the second time in five years.
Carlo Ancelotti and the rest of Bayern Munich needed the three points from their match with Bayer Leverkusen in order to keep new boys RB Leipzig from getting away in the league table. The Nov. 26 match started well for the hosts as Thiago Alcantara headed the ball home after Bernd Leno's deflection.
Leverkusen midfielder and Turkey international Hakan Calhanoglu managed to equalize five minutes later and ended the first half tied at 1-1. Mats Hummels was able to seal a game as he headed a precise corner from Koshua Kimmich to end the game with Munich being 2-1 winners. The post-match report from BBC shows that Munich completely dominated the visitors, as they had the lion's share of the ball and chances created.
Meanwhile, Hummels' old club is clearly struggling. Der BVB were caught unawares by Frankfurt and got blindsided to a 2-1 loss away from Signal Idurna Park. The action started shortly after the second half kicked off with a Szabolcs Huszti goal. While Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang evened the score late in the game, Haris Seferovic sealed the three points for the Eagles.
ESPN FC wrote that Thomas Tuchel did not dice his words regarding his club's performance. "Technically, tactically, mentally, awareness - everything. Our performance was deficient," the Dortmund gaffer said.
"It was a performance, from the first to the last minute, that merited no points, starting from this week's training. Our entire season has been characterized by peaks and troughs. That is very unsatisfactory."
With Germany's two biggest clubs acting out of character, it has given opportunities to clubs like Leipzig and Frankfurt to sort themselves comfortably in the league's top spots. While the season is far from over, it will be interesting to see how the two halves of Der Klassiker will sort their problems and end the season in their rightful places.
