Sancho makes WhoScored’s Bundesliga Team of the Season for 2018/19
Here we run through the best WhoScored rated XI from the 2018/19 Bundesliga campaign, as Bayern Munich beat Borussia Dortmund to the title on the final day of the season.
Goalkeeper: Michael Esser (Hannover) - 6.98 rating
Hannover were unable to beat the drop this season and eventually finished seven points adrift of the relegation play-off position but things would have been even worse had it not been for goalkeeper Michael Esser, who made at least 33 more saves than any other goalkeeper in the division (149). Furthermore, only two players completed more accurate long balls than the 31-year-old in the Bundesliga this term (329).
Left-back: Marcel Halstenberg (RB Leipzig) - 7.56 rating
Marcel Halstenberg is one of three RB Leipzig defenders in the back four of our team of the season and the highest rated defender in the entire division. The Germany international enjoyed a phenomenal campaign for Leipzig, playing a direct hand in nine league goals from the left flank (three goals, six assists). Halstenberg completed 2.4 tackles per game and 2.0 key passes per game.
Centre-back: Ibrahima Konate (RB Leipzig) - 7.19 rating
Ibrahima Konate enjoyed a thoroughly impressive breakthrough campaign to earn a place in our Bundesliga team of the season at the age of just 19. Leipzig finished the season with the best defensive record in the division (29 goals conceded) and Konate played a key role in that. The teenage defender averaged 1.6 tackles per game, 2.1 interceptions per game and 4.3 clearances per game. Impressively, only one player had a better dribbles success rate than Konate (84.6%) of those to attempt at least 25 dribbles in the Bundesliga this season.
Centre-back: Willi Orban (RB Leipzig) - 7.41 rating
Will Orban was important at both ends of the pitch for RB Leipzig, who secured Champions League football for next season with a third place finish in the league. Orban finished the campaign as the best WhoScored rated centre-back in the league and surpassed his tally for league goals from last season (3) by one. The 26-year-old made 5.7 clearances per game and won 4.8 aerial duels per game.
Right-back: Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich) - 7.59 rating
Joshua Kimmich is perhaps the only player who can rival Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold as the best right-back in the world after yet another imperious campaign from the Bayern Munich defender. Kimmich finished the season with two goals and 13 assists, with the latter statistic ranking top of all defenders in Europe’s top five leagues this term. Kimmich both completed the most crosses (74) and clear-cut goalscoring opportunities (21) in the Bundesliga this season.
Left wing: Thorgan Hazard (Gladbach) - 7.44 rating
If this proves Thorgan Hazard’s final season at Gladbach then the Belgium international has signed off in style, finishing the campaign in our Bundesliga Team of the Season. Hazard was one of only two players to register double figures for goals and assists (both 10) in the Bundesliga this season, while only one player completed more dribbles than the 26-year-old (71). Not only that, but only one player won the WhoScored Man of the Match award more times than Hazard (six).
Central midfield: Kerem Demirbay (Hoffenheim) - 7.58 rating
Kerem Demirbay overcame his injury problems to enjoy a thoroughly productive final season for Hoffenheim ahead of his summer move to Bayer Leverkusen. The 25-year-old scored four goals and registered nine assists, while winning six WhoScored Man of the Match awards - tied with Hazard and one behind Jadon Sancho. Despite failing to start 10 league games this season, Demirbay ranked second for key passes from set-pieces (36) and third in the league for big-chances created (16).
Central midfield: Thiago Alcantara (Bayern Munich) - 7.59 rating
Like Demirbay, Thiago Alcantara also managed a relatively injury-free campaign. The 28-year-old was the heartbeat of Bayern’s title winning campaign, ranking second in the division for most passes completed (2302). Not only that, but only two players made more tackles than Thiago (87) in the Bundesliga this term. The Spain international chipped in with two goals and six assists for the Bavarians, while boasting the best dribbles success rate (85.1%) of the 130 players to attempt at least 25 dribbles.
Right wing: Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund) - 7.51 rating
Jadon Sancho has been a revelation for Borussia Dortmund this season and there is understandably talk of a £100m move back to the Premier League for WhoScored’s Bundesliga Young Player of the Season. The 19-year-old finished the campaign with more assists than any other player in the division (14) and was the second of two players, after Hazard, to register double figures for goals (12) and assists (14) in the league. Sancho picked up his seventh star man award of the season on the final day of the campaign, more than any other player in the league. He was also the only player to complete 100 dribbles in the Bundesliga this term (111).
Striker: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich) - 7.66 rating
Robert Lewandowski finished the season as the highest WhoScored rated player in the Bundesliga after firing Niko Kovac’s side to their seventh straight league title. Lewandowski was the only player to reach 20 goals for the season in German’s top-flight (22), picking up the Golden Boot for the second season running and third in the last four years. The Poland international had more shots than any other player in the league (144).
Striker: Sebastien Haller (Frankfurt) - 7.55 rating
Sebastien Haller finished the season with 15 goals and assists and Frankfurt will rue not having the towering striker more regularly during the business end of the campaign, as they missed out on a place in the Europa League final and a top four finish in the league. Despite failing to start 11 league matches this season, Haller won at least 58 more aerial duels than any other player in the division (200). His goal involvements were also worth an additional 11 points to Frankfurt this term.
