Three things we learnt from Bundesliga Matchday 17 – Stuttgart are on the ascendency, Andrej Kramaric and RB Leipzig return to winning ways | OneFootball

Matchday 17 of the Bundesliga marked not only the first and only Englisch Woche (midweek game) of the season, but also the final game of the Hinrunde (or the first half of the season).

After snow impacted several games at the weekend, the impacts were still felt in this matchday, with Hamburg vs Bayer Leverkusen postponed due to snow. 

Away from the postponement, the Bundesliga matchday 17 games were: Stuttgart vs Frankfurt, Borussia Dortmund vs Werder Bremen, Mainz vs Heidenheim, Wolfsburg vs St.Pauli, 1.FC Köln vs Bayern Munich, Hoffenheim vs Borussia Mönchengladbach, RB Leipzig vs Freiburg and Augsburg vs Union Berlin

Here are the three things we learnt:

2026 is the year of Stuttgart:

Stuttgart have started the year with two very big results in the Bundesliga. At the weekend, they blew away Leverkusen with a 4-1 win. Then today, they came from behind before rescuing the three points late on against Eintracht Frankfurt. 

The hosts took the lead through a Rasmus Kristensen header, but Ermedin Demirovic would equalise on his first start after injury. Just before half-time, Deniz Undav’s deflected shot would make it 2-1. Frankfurt looked as if they had rescued a point when summer signing Ayoube Amaimouni-Echghouyab scored on his debut for die Adler; however, Niklas Nartey would score his first-ever goal for the club after an injury-ravaged two years to secure the three points for Sebastian Hoeneß’s side. 

Unlike Frankfurt’s opponents at the weekend, Stuttgart were able to show their mentality to not panic and actually go on to win the game. 

The two big wins to start the season have shown that the Swabians are on the ascendancy and are close to reaching their level from the 2023/24 Bundesliga season, when they finished second. However, this time, there is a possibility that they can surpass the quality they achieved then.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Stuttgart win the Europa League this season.

Andrej Kramaric ages like fine wine:

In an interview with kicker earlier this week, Kramaric expressed how he had the chance to play for Bayern Munich in his career, but turned them down. 

Instead, he chose to stay at Hoffenheim and is a legend at the club. The 34-year-old’s hat-trick in Christian Ilzer’s side’s 5-1 win against Borussia Mönchengladbach meant he overtook Francisco Copado to become TSG’s oldest ever goalscorer. 

Despite the rise of Fisnik Asllani and Tim Lemperle (who also scored this evening), Kramaric has shown that he is still a very useful player for Ilzer’s attack. 

The win for Hoffenheim sees them move within two points of the Bundesliga top four, meaning they are very much in contention for the Champions League spots. With Kramaric’s contract expiring in the summer, it would be a fitting parting gift for the club he has served for nearly 10 years. 

RB Leipzig return to winning ways:

Without Assan Ouedraogo, Leipzig only won one of their last four games, but when he returns, they beat Freiburg. Coincidence, I think not. 

Granted, Ouedraogo was subbed off in the 60th minute as he had only just made his return from injury, but the 2-0 win over Freiburg ends two games without a win for Ole Werner’s side, and with Bayern Munich at the weekend, they will want to be ready to show that the 6-0 at the start of the season was a one off. 

What helps Leipzig even more is that both Antonio Nusa and Yan Diomande also made their returns from injury and the Africa Cup of Nations. 

Leipzig will need to be strong defensively to avoid another embarrassing performance on Saturday, and considering they were able to limit Freiburg to only three shots, one on target and zero big chances created (via FotMob), that is a good start. 

Elsewhere around the Bundesliga:

During the Tuesday Bundesliga set of games, Borussia Dortmund comfortably beat Werder Bremen 3-0, not without one of their worst performances of the season in the first half. While Mainz gained a vital three points in the fight for Bundesliga survival with a 2-1 win over fellow strugglers Heidenheim. 

The other Wednesday games not covered saw Bayern Munich beat 1.FC Köln 3-1 and Wolfsburg beat St.Pauli 2-1 in the early kick-off to give them breathing space from the drop zone.  

There is one final Bundesliga game of this matchday on Thursday, where Augsburg host Union Berlin. 

GGFN | Jack Meenan