Best XI of the Bundesliga 2021-22 season so far
The Bundesliga is the first major European league to head into a Christmas break.
With 17 games played, the 2021/22 season is exactly half way through in the German first division, and it's been an exhilarating ride.
Defending champions Bayern Munich are cruising at the top of the table as usual, followed by Borussia Dortmund, Freiburg and Bayer Leverkusen.
3 – Sport-Club Freiburg has finished the first half of this Bundesliga season in third place – their highest position in their BL history after the first half of a BL season. Surprise. #SCFB04 https://t.co/Gzx8ZqhB19
The league's top scorers so far are also the usual suspects, while three sides - Wolfsburg, Hertha Berlin and RB Leipzig - have seen managerial changes.
There's still plenty more to come from the German top-flight in the second half of the campaign, starting in January next year. But first, let's take stock of the season thus far, starting with the best players in each position.
Here's a look at the best combined XI of the Bundesliga so far:
Goalkeeper: Mark Flekken (Freiburg)
Leaving out Manuel Neuer from a list like this one may seem controversial, as the Bayern custodian has been in electric form once again this season.
But Freiburg's Mark Flekken has quitely had an impressive campaign of his own.
While both have kept six clean sheets, the joint-most in the Bundesliga so far, and conceded 16 goals each, the joint-fewest, the Dutchman leads Neuer in terms of save percentage (79.5%).
@smarterscout Mark Flekken has been consistently performing for Freiburg and no one seems to see. He doesn't have any caps for Holland i think. Best in the Bundesliga imo.
His heroics between the sticks have played a big part in Breisgau-Brasilianer's excellent defensive record, while helping them make their best-ever start to a top-flight campaign.
The goalkeeper is calmness personified and combines excellent reading of the game with razor-sharp reflexes.