With the 2014-15 Bundesliga season just around the corner, we look at the best 11 players in the German top flight, including a former Chelsea star, two Manchester United targets and one ex-Manchester City defender…
A new month, a new season. One of the world’s most popular domestic football leagues kicks off in around three weeks’ time, and we now look at the top 11 players in the Bundesliga.
Yours truly has considered players who are officially still in the squads of the 18 teams in the German top flight at the time of writing.
For example, Germany international defender Mats Hummels, who is reported to be a key transfer target of Manchester United, is in the team as he is still on the books of Borussia Dortmund.
The same holds true for the centre-back’s club teammate and compatriot Marco Reus, who is also believed to be of interest to the Red Devils.
Moreover, this writer has included players not just based on current form but on overall quality and potential.
For example, France international winger Franck Ribery suffered a dip in form and struggled with injuries in the second half of last season, but the Bayern Munich star remains a world-class player and has been included in the team.
Ribery’s Bayern teammate Jerome Boateng also finds himself in the Bundesliga XI. The Germany international, who can play both as a full-back and as a centre-back, struggled during his time in England with Manchester City, but has established himself as one of the key players at the Allianz Arena.
Given that the Bundesliga is very competitive with a plethora of world-class players, many star names had to be left out.
Bayern Munich duo Javi Martinez and Thomas Muller, Borussia Dortmund midfielder İlkay Gündogan and Ricardo Rodriguez of Wolfsburg all had to be omitted.
Below is yours truly’s Bundesliga XI ahead of the 2014-15 campaign.
2014/15 Bundesliga XI
Manuel Neuer
Philipp Lahm – Jerome Boateng– Mats Hummels – David Alaba
Arjen Robben - Bastian Schweinsteiger - Franck Ribery
Mario Gotze – Marco Reus
Robert Lewandowski
