The Bundesliga's Non-Champions League XI
The vast talent within the Bundesliga goes far beyond the teams right at the top of the table. Sometimes, though, it can be hard to look beyond the stars of Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen.
That's why bundesliga.com has put together 11 players from teams not representing the German top-flight in the UEFA Champions League this season, just to highlight how deep the talent runs through the division.
Goalkeeper: Yann Sommer (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
The Swiss goalkeeper is ageing like a fine wine, much like his footballing idol Gianluigi Buffon did before him. At 31 and just 10 appearances short of 250 in the Bundesliga, Sommer could be having his best season yet for Gladbach.
Watch: Sommer's incredible last-gasp save vs. Bayern!
Despite playing for the team currently sat fourth in the table in 2019/20, Sommer has made the most saves of any goalkeeper in the Bundesliga this term with 97 while keeping a clean sheet every four league games in the current campaign.
Centre-back: Matthias Ginter (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
A huge part of the defence in front of Sommer keeping fortress Borussia-Park strong is Germany international Ginter. Since joining from Dortmund in the summer of 2017, the 26-year-old has gone from strength to strength. Now with 29 international appearances for his country under his belt, Ginter has become a leader in the Foals' defence.
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The product of Freiburg's high-class academy has completed 87 per cent of his passes and won 62 per cent of his duels in the air and on the ground so far this season. It's fair to say that Ginter has become the complete package under Marco Rose at Gladbach.
Centre-back: Robin Koch (Freiburg)
Perhaps the most improved player in the Bundesliga this season, Koch became a Germany international at the end of 2019 after helping Freiburg to their best-ever start to a season in the Bundesliga. The centre-back, who can also play in defensive midfield, made the first of his two international appearances in October 2019, playing the full 90 minutes of a 2-2 draw with Argentina.
Former Freiburg striker and Germany coach Joachim Löw will have been impressed also at having seen Koch cook up a storm in midfield at club level on eight occasions this season. With a 91 per cent pass completion despite operating in two of the most demanding positions on the pitch, the 24-year-old won't be kept out of the Champions League much longer.
Centre-back: Martin Hinteregger (Eintracht Frankfurt)
Austrian defender Hinteregger has become a cult hero at Frankfurt since his arrival - initially on loan - from Augsburg in January 2019. The 'Hinti Army' has become a social media frenzy of support for the Bundesliga's top-scoring centre-back and Frankfurt's second-highest scoring player this season.
The 27-year-old's versatility has been proven time and again, too, as he has operated comfortably in Adi Hütter's three- or four-man defensive systems and was key in the Eagles soaring to the UEFA Europa League semi-finals last season.
Right midfielder: Jonathan Schmid (Freiburg)
One of the Bundesliga's tireless workers, Schmid returned to the Black Forrest after spells at Hoffenheim and Augsburg to begin the 2019/20 season and was - alongside Koch - one of the main strengths in their push to a club-record start to the season.
Watch: Schmid's free-kick winner over Wolfsburg!
Frenchman Schmid scored in the opening day win over Mainz and has become one of the Bundesliga's set-piece kings, finding the net from direct free-kicks in successive games this season, including an 85th-minute winner over Wolfsburg on Matchday 14.
Central midfielder: Denis Zakaria (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
There are few better marauding midfielders in the Bundesliga than Gladbach's Zakaria. The Switzerland international is a powerhouse at the core of the Foals' title-chasing champion horse, standing at 6'2", the lanky box-to-box battler has made vital contributions at both ends of the pitch.
His ability to win the ball in midfield and play the simple pass to allow the creative talents ahead of him to go to work is the epitome of Zakaria's unsung hero work. The 23-year-old could well be part of the Foals' squad that earns a return to the Champions League for the 2020/21 campaign.
Central midfielder: Suat Serdar (Schalke)
All the S's have come together in perfect harmony at the Veltins-Arena with Serdar and Schalke. Another box-to-box midfielder, Serdar has become a Germany international since joining from Mainz in the summer of 2018 and at club level, has become one of the driving forces in Schalke's recent resurgence.
The 23-year-old has scored seven goals in 18 appearances to lead the Royal Blues' scoring charts despite operating in central midfield. Now, with three Germany caps already under his belt, Serdar is ready to take himself and his club to the next level.
Left midfielder: Filip Kostic (Eintracht Frankfurt)
Kostic's Bundesliga journey had been a difficult one before his move to Frankfurt. After back-to-back relegations with Hamburg and VfB Stuttgart, the Serbia international stayed in the Bundesliga with his move to the Eagles and since then, has become a different force to the one that arrived at the Commerzbank-Arena.
Kostic has turned from a speedy winger to an evergreen left-sided enforcer, able to produce the goods at either end of the pitch, no matter the minute of the game. The 27-year-old has made more crosses than any player in the league on his way to four goals and eight assists while missing only 11 minutes of action all season.
Forward: Alassane Plea (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
French forward Plea has only been in the Bundesliga for two seasons, but he has clearly been happy to call it home since his arrival at Borussia-Park. The now 27-year-old arrived from Nice with an eye-opening recent scoring record supporting him, and has spent no time getting used to his new surroundings in Germany.
Watch: Plea's show-off brace against Mainz!
His 12 goals and four assists in his debut season have been added to with eight goals and seven assists in just 22 games this campaign for the Foals. Contributing the most goals of any player in Gladbach's best campaign to this point of a season since the introduction of the three-point rule does not go unnoticed, by Bundesliga fans or those back home, with Plea earning his first appearance for World Champions France back in November 2018.
Forward: Wout Weghorst (Wolfsburg)
Only Robert Lewandowski and Timo Werner have scored more Bundesliga goals than Weghorst since the Dutchman arrived in the German top-flight. Wolfsburg's star man in attack has been a force to be reckoned with since signing from AZ Alkmaar in the summer of 2018.
Watch: Weghorst's game-winning Wolfsburg hat-trick!
The league's tallest outfield player – standing at an impressive 6"4' – has coupled his size and strength with a deadly ability to score from all chances with head, left foot or his favoured right, and has taken over the Wolves' penalty-taking duties. Another aged just 27, Weghorst is only now entering his prime years with success for club and country on the horizon.
Forward: Matheus Cunha (Hertha Berlin)
Since arriving in Germany with RB Leipzig in the summer of 2018, Cunha has scored a Bundesliga Goal of the Year winner and made a high profile move north to Berlin and the Old Lady.
Watch: Cunha's crazy 2019 Goal of the Year winner!
Now at Hertha Berlin – since this January after a winter transfer – Cunha has top scored in securing Brazil qualification for the Olympic Games in Japan and started life at the Olympiastadion in style with two goals and an assist in four Bundesliga outings. The 20-year-old Futsal-loving forward could become the star of Hertha's next squad to break back into European football.
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