Bundesliga team of the month: RB Leipzig defence rewarded for perfect October
Goalkeeper: Koen Casteels (Wolfsburg) – 7.15 rating
Wolfsburg only managed one win in October but it could have been worse had it not been for the performances of goalkeeper Koen Casteels. Only Jiri Pavlenka (14) made more saves than the Wolfsburg shot-stopper (12) in October. The 26-year-old is the only Bundesliga goalkeeper to pull off a last man tackle this season, doing so against Bayern Munich.
Left-back: Marcel Halstenberg (RB Leipzig) – 7.62 rating
RB Leipzig have benefitted hugely from Marcel Halstenberg’s return to fitness after going unbeaten in October and keeping three clean sheets in a row. Leipzig have actually kept a clean sheet in all four league games the 27-year-old has started this season. Halstenberg registered an assist in a 6-0 destruction of Nuernberg and completed 12 tackles and interceptions combined over three appearances.
Centre-back: Martin Hinteregger (Augsburg) – 7.22 rating
Augsburg only lost one of their three October league games, a 4-3 defeat to league leaders Borussia Dortmund. Martin Hinteregger completed the most tackles in the Bundesliga (16) in October and turned in a WhoScored Man of the Match performance in an impressive 0-0 draw with RB Leizpig.
Centre-back: Willi Orban (RB Leipzig) – 7.86 rating
Orban is the second of three RB Leipzig defenders in WhoScored’s Bundesliga Team of the Month for October, rewarded for the fact Ralf Rangnick’s side didn’t concede a single goal. Only one Bundesliga defender won more aerial duels than Orban (14), while the 25-year-old also completed 16 clearances across three appearances.
Right-back: Nordi Mukiele (RB Leipzig) – 7.57 rating
Rounding off the back four is RB Leipzig summer signing Nordi Mukiele. The 20-year-old has made a seamless transition since arriving from Montpellier and is rewarded with a berth in our best rated XI for October. The youngster was important at both ends of the pitch, completing nine tackles across three appearances and three shots, two key passes and eight dribbles in that time.
Left wing: Filip Kostic (Frankfurt) - Rating 7.84
Frankfurt will now hope Filip Kostic has rediscovered his best form after the 26-year-old enjoyed a stunning October. The Serbia international was heavily involved at both ends of the pitch during his three appearances, as Frankfurt went unbeaten. Kostic provided two assists from six key passes and completed six dribbles. Not only that, but the Frankfurt winger made 10 tackles and interceptions combined.
Centre-midfield: Kerem Demirbay (Hoffenheim) – 7.65 rating
Kerem Demirbay is finally back at full fitness and Hoffenheim are all the better for it. The 25-year-old created more goalscoring opportunities than any other Bundesliga player in October (12), while only two players were fouled more times than the German midfielder (nine). He also weighed in with eight tackles over three appearances.
Centre-midfield: Jonas Hofmann (Gladbach) – 7.74 rating
Jonas Hofmann netted a stunning hat-trick in Gladbach’s 4-0 win over Mainz, becoming the first central midfielder to net a treble in the Bundesliga since April 2017 (Thomas Delaney). The 26-year-old also played an important part in Gladbach’s shock 3-0 win over Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena, contributing two assists.
Right wing: Thorgan Hazard (Gladbach) – 8.02 rating
Eden Hazard is not the only Hazard brother performing well this season, with Thorgan Hazard flourishing for Gladbach at the moment. The 25-year-old played a direct hand in four goals in three league games in October (two goals, two assists), while also completing 10 tackles and interceptions combined over three appearances.
Striker: Luka Jovic (Frankfurt) – 8.21 rating
Frankfurt striker Luka Jovic finished October as the WhoScored player of the month in the Bundesliga (min 3 apps) and that can come as no surprise. The 20-year-old scored five goals in a stunning 7-1 win over Fortuna Duesseldorf, becoming the first Bundesliga player since Robert Lewandowski in September 2015 to score so many times in a single game. Jovic also played a direct hand in both of Frankfurt’s goals in a 2-1 win away to Hoffenheim at the start of the month.
Striker: Reiss Nelson (Hoffenheim) – 7.92 rating
Arsenal loanee Reiss Nelson is the latest English prospect to flourish in the Bundesliga, following in the footsteps of Ademola Lookman and Jadon Sancho. Nelson netted three goals in as many October appearances and the 18-year-old impressively managed a pass success rate of 90.6%. The teenage forward also completed eight tackles, illustrating his desire to help when Hoffenheim are out of possession.
