Matchday 21 in the Bundesliga saw questionable red cards, VAR drama, massive wins at the bottom of the table, and so much more. Without further delay, here are all of the talking points from matchday 21 in the Bundesliga.
Controversy as Bayern Beat Hoffenheim
Sunday evening’s Bundesliga match between league leaders Bayern Munich and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim found itself decided relatively early, thanks in part to an early red card issued by match official Tobias Stieler. The 44-year-old German referee has answered for his decision to send TSG defender Kevin Akpoguma off on a straight red in the 17th minute.
Akpguma was clearly tugging on Bayern attacker Luis Diaz’s jersey, but replays confirmed that Diaz also had his hands on his marker. The fact that both players fell onto the deck seemed a result of mutual jostling. Some understood Stieler’s decision to award a penalty, but thought the red card harsh. TSG head coach Christian Ilzer told DAZN afterwards that he didn’t feel Akpoguma had fouled Diaz at all.
What was refreshing was the referee himself explaining his decision after the game:
“At the beginning of the duel, there was a completely normal scramble for position and nothing worthy of a penalty. Then Luis Diaz was faster, in a better position, able to shoot at goal, able to play across, and he fell due to a holding foul by the Hoffenheim player.”
Harry Kane went on to score the penalty and but Bayern in the ascendancy. Hoffenheim, not deterred by the decision, had several chances to draw level before Manuel Neuer decided to gift them a goal instead. I’m not sure if they hand out gifts during Karnival in Germany, but if they do, Neuer was clearly in the mood.
The veteran goalkeeper went for a classic chip of the forward and to his fullback, but completely misjudged his pass. It was intercepted and allowed Andrej Kramarić to make it 1-1.
However, Bayern would have the game wrapped up by halftime. Luis Diaz won yet another penalty, but this time, there were no complaints; a clear foul. Kane scored his brace, and barely two minutes later, the Englishman broke on the counter, played in Luis Diaz, who cut inside and tucked the ball away into the far corner.
To further enrage the Hoffenheim supporters, the vile of the piece (from their point of view, Luis Diaz), went on to score a further two goals and claim a first Bundesliga hat-trick for Bayern Munich. The Bavarians reclaim their six-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga.
St. Pauli Finally Win!
St. Pauli recorded their first Bundesliga win since December when they beat high-flying VfB Stuttgart 2-1 on Saturday. Whilst Pauli didn’t jump up the table and remain in 17th, it’s a vital three points which puts them within two points of VfL Wolfsburg in 15th.
Another reason for Pauli fans to celebrate was captain Jackson Irvine’s performance, despite still struggling with an injury.
The absence of Joel Chima Fujita, Eric Smith, and Hauke Wahl forced head coach Alexander Blessin’s hand. Irvine has started several matches since returning from a major injury incurred last season, but never worked the exceptionally demanding role as the linchpin of St. Pauli’s central midfield axis. Irvine has been playing through pain in his left foot, operated on last year, all season.
Irvine proved a critical force in midfield against heavily-favored Stuttgart. The omnipresent Aussie played an important role in the lead-up to Manolis Saliakas’ opening goal. At halftime, Irvine couldn’t join the rest of his teammates in the locker room as his foot required extra treatment. Irvine and Blessin both divulged the details of an interesting talk about Irvine’s deployment before the second 45 got rolling.
“If the coach doesn’t want to take me off, I won’t take myself off,” Irvine said in the mixed zone. “This was one of the toughest games of my career. We were missing so many players.
“Hopefully, this will be a turning point,” Irvine went on to say when speaking on St. Pauli’s first win of 2026.
Blessin concurred: “This could be a big turning point,” Blessin said at the post-match presser. “In the first leg [a 2-0 away defeat in September], Stuttgart knocked the stuffing out of us. We showed more determination today.“
Dortmund Keep Up the Pressure
Like last weekend, it wasn’t pretty (and it never is for Dortmund under Niko Kovac), but they were able to beat Wolfsburg 2-1.
They took the lead in the first half through Julian Brandt, but Konstantinos Koulierakis would set up a nervy end of the game when he made it 1-1. However, just like against Heidenheim, Serhou Guirassy stepped up with a late goal to make it 2-1.
It was another performance where Kovac’s side were far from convincing, only creating one big chance (via FotMob), against a Wolfsburg side who have been close to horrible this season. Despite the cliche of these being the type of games you have to win if you want to be a champion, this style of play from Dortmund is not sustainable, and it is only a matter of time before they come unstuck.
After the game, Dortmund captain Nico Schlotterbeck again reiterated his desire to be champion (via Sky Germany):
“Of course I’m the captain right now because Emre is out. If I set the course, the team has to follow…I live the belief. You also play for BVB to achieve something.”
Around The Grounds
FC Köln narrowly lost at home to RB Leipzig 1-2, but not without VAR drama at the death. The Billygoats were convinced that a shot in the dying minutes was blocked via Baumgartner’s hand on the line. Replies showed that, though the player didn’t know anything about it, his hand had stopped Köln from making it 2-2. After a very long VAR review (for Bundesliga standards), Köln weren’t awarded a penalty at all, but an offside call was made. Even the commentators seemed a tad confused as original replays looked as if there was no offside in the build-up at all. A bitter pill to swallow for Köln.
FC Heidenheim lost against a remain six points adrift from safety with little hope of surviving this season. “It’s a shit situation and a shit loss,” explained head coach Frank Schmidt. “For long stretches of time, we didn’t deliver a good performance. About all I can say is that we’ll continue to give it our all.“
Albert Riera’s first game in charge of Eintracht Frankfurt resulted in a 1-1 draw away at Union Berlin. Frankfurt were winning late on, before conceding a penalty in added time. So close to the perfect start, but there are plenty of positives to take from Riera’s first game.
Elsewhere, there were wins for Mainz 05 (2-0 vs FC Augsburg) and Hamburger SV (0-2 vs FC Heidenheim), whilst the Rhine Derby between Borussia Mönchengladbach and Bayer Leverkusen drew 1-1.
GGFN | Jamie Allen
