A beauteous Champions League Tuesday for the Bundesliga

What a banner day it was for the boomin’ Bundesliga in the Champions League. Germany’s top clubs in Europe — the ones not named Bayern Munich, anyway — don’t always have the most sterling of track records when it comes to representing the league in continental competitions. So let’s enjoy the sunshine while we have it.

We’ll start in Dortmund, where BVB put up a masterclass against Manchester City, stifling Erling Haaland’s new team to a 0-0 draw despite having only 27% of possession — and outshooting the Citizens too, both in shots (11-8) and shots on target (4-3). By the end of the game, City were just waiting for the final whistle.

Borussia Dortmund’s Germany contingent, absent the perennially injured Marco Reus, helped themselves to a famous team display — from Karim Adeyemi, who had a number of nice chances, to Julian Brandt, who may be finally playing himself decisively off the roster bubble and just in time for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Mats Hummels hardly put a foot wrong all match, too. Food for thought for Hansi Flick.

Elsewhere, RB Leipzig did one even better by grabbing all three points against reigning champs Real Madrid. None other than Timo Werner put the exclamation mark on it with his fine run and back-post poach in the 81st minute. Christopher Nkunku and Joško Gvardiol both got on the scoresheet as well, each making their case to be the Bundesliga’s next big transfer window exit.

This marks three straight dubs in the UCL for Leipzig. The last time they did that, Julian Nagelsmann was head coach.

And you know what? Let’s have a bonus round of Germany and striker-related intrigue. Chelsea got themselves in a slog in their away trip to RB Salzburg — Bayern fans know the feeling all too well — and it was Germany’s Kai Havertz who finally unlocked things for the Blues.

USMNT hopes and dreams man Christian Pulisic found Havertz beyond the edge of the box, and the German forward hit an utterly stupendous left-footed curler from range — not dissimilar to his magical effort against England during the September Nations League game.

FC Bayern, Eintracht Frankfurt, and Bayer 04 Leverkusen will have their say now on Wednesday. FC Barcelona, Olympique Marseille, and Atlético Madrid had better watch out — it’s harvesting season in the German Bundesliga.

Interested in a preview of the game? Then why not check out the latest episode of our podcast? We talk about the emergence of Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting as a legitimate striker option, as well as what Barcelona have in store for us. Listen to it below or on Spotify.

As always, we appreciate all the support.