Here are our picks for Matchday 26 (MD26) of Fantasy Bundesliga.
As ever, Erling Haaland and Robert Lewandowski are exempt from this team to make the forward line a bit more exciting.
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Goalkeepers
Lukas Hradecky (9.5m)
Fredrik Ronnow (2.7m)
The second-highest scoring keeper in the game, Lukas Hradecky’s 98 shots saved is the most in the league. The Finnish stopper has been exceptional for Gerardo Seaone’s side this season, and his save record means he doesn’t have to keep a clean sheet to score big. Leverkusen host a Köln side that have taken the fourth-most shots in the Bundesliga. A team with a high-shot volume against a keeper who makes a lot of saves could mean a big haul for Hradecky.
Andreas Luthe is out injured for Union, and Fredrik Ronnow looks set to replace him for the MD26 tie against Stuttgart. Although Union’s recent form has been poor, they’re a much stronger side at home and four of their last six league games have been on the road. Stuttgart had a brilliant win against Gladbach on MD25 which will give them confidence – but they’re still 17th.
Defenders
Josko Gvardiol (11m)
Benjamin Henrichs (7.5m)
Stefan Lainer (8.5m)
Borna Sosa (11.2m)
Christian Günter (13.1m)
Every week, the first thing I check for this team is who is playing Greuther Fürth. This week, it’s Domenico Tedesco’s reformed RB Leipzig. Josko Gvardiol has been an exceptional fantasy asset of late, and that looks set to continue this time out. The Croatian wonderkid had four goal attempts against Freiburg, who have the best defensive record in the league, on MD25, so just imagine what he could do to Fürth’s league-worst defence. Gvardiol’s 283 duels won is also the second-most among all defenders.
Whilst Angelino is the obvious second Leipzig defender, Benjamin Henrichs is an interesting value differential. He disappointed on MD25, but scored 12 points on both MD23 and 24 as the right wing-back in Tedesco’s system, grabbing a goal and an assist. With Fürth up next, Henrichs could be a great differential.
One day I’ll learn from my mistakes, and realise that Gladbach are never going to come good under Adi Hütter, but that day has not come yet. Their collapse to lose to Stuttgart on MD25 was embarrassing, but Stefan Lainer missed that one, so he’s off the hook. However bad Gladbach are, they still don’t seem as bad as Tayfun Korkut’s “I’ve heard the 2. Bundesliga is more exciting” Hertha Berlin side. Hertha are winless in nine games, since that shock victory over Dortmund before the winter break. Lainer is first choice right wing-back when fit, and seems to be fit again, so should start in a game of bad against worse.
Borna Sosa has clearly been missing Sasa Kaladjzic, as the whole of Stuttgart have been. The wing-back with a wand of a left foot has sprung back into life of late, scoring 13, 14 and 10 in three of his last four appearances. On form, Sosa is an exceptional fantasy asset, and it’s hard to underestimate the impact the comeback win over Gladbach could have on this improving Stuttgart team. They visit a Union Berlin side with a strong home record, but very poor recent form.
If in doubt, pick Christian Günter. It’s worked for most of this season, and I don’t see why it shouldn’t continue to. Freiburg have dropped off recently, as have Günter’s attacking numbers, but they still have the joint-best defensive record in the league. They also have the best defensive record in the last six games (four goals conceded). Top-scoring defender Nico Schlotterbeck is a doubt for this tie, so Günter comes in.
Midfielders
Dani Olmo (12.6m)
Christopher Nkunku (18.5m)
Florian Wirtz (15m)
Filip Kostic (17.9m)
Chris Führich (5.9m)
DFB-Pokal and Europa League rotation has seen Dani Olmo benched for Leipzig’s last three in the league. However, with Leipzig’s Europa bye and the Pokal semi-final coming after the upcoming international break, the Spaniard should be back in Domenico Tedesco’s starting XI against Fürth. Since returning from injury, Olmo has two goals and three assists from two starts and three sub appearances, including his 17-point haul off the bench against Hertha.
Christopher Nkunku is very, very good. He’s the top-scoring midfielder, will start for Leipzig and is also second in the midfield form rankings. He also plays Fürth. If by some miracle you don’t already own him, buy him for this game.
Bayer Leverkusen, and Florian Wirtz, are in exceptional attacking form. Germany’s next big thing has 13 double-digit hauls from 23 appearances, and Leverkusen have scored at least twice in seven of their last eight games before they host Köln this weekend.
Frankfurt are poor at home, and Bochum are poor on the road, so it’s hard to call where this game will go. However, Filip Kostic is now fully fit and healthy, and a fit Kostic is a Bundesliga Fantasy essential. Bring the Serbian in if you haven’t already.
Chris Führich was brilliant for Paderborn in last season’s 2. Bundesliga, so it’s great to see him fit and finding his feet for Stuttgart in the Bundesliga. A great budget midfield option. Führich scored his second of the season in the MD25 win, and is looking more and more confident ahead of this week’s visit to Union Berlin.
Forwards
Donyell Malen (14.1m)
Alassane Plea (15.2m)
Moussa Diaby (15.2m)
Marco Reus is out injured, and Erling Haaland is only fit to come off the bench, so Dortmund’s attacking hopes will fall at the ever-improving feet of Donyell Malen. Before their game was postponed on MD25, Malen had three double-digit hauls from his past five games, with a goal and three assists. Dortmund now host a Covid-stricken Arminia Bielefeld side who were already struggling, and Malen should get plenty of opportunities to prove himself.
Gladbach’s season has been sustained by four players, when available. Yann Sommer, Ramy Bensebaini, Jonas Hofmann and Alassane Plea have been the stars of Adi Hütter’s beleaguered Foals, but with Bensebaini and Hofmann out of this game, all attacking hopes will rest on Plea. Plea is the fifth-highest scoring forward over the last five games, with a goal and three assists. His opposition for this week, Hertha, are bottom of the form table, having conceded 16 in their last five games. However bad or inconsistent Gladbach have been, surely they can’t lose to Korkut’s Hertha.
Moussa Diaby is a wonderful player in brilliant form. In his last six league games, he has seven goals and an assist, and took his goal against Atalanta wonderfully in the Europa League. Leverkusen are in solid form, especially going forward, ahead of their tie against Köln on MD26. Except for the 1-1 draw with Bayern, which was impressive in its own right, they’ve scored at least twice in seven of their last eight in the Bundesliga.
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