The thing about the Bundesliga is clubs rely heavily on synergy. German football is never built around individuals or stars. That’s why you’ll have clubs like Leipzig and BMG overachieving with players you’ve barely heard off. (1/n)

You take standout players out of the system and place them elsewhere without finding the right system for them and they’re found wanting. In German football, the system is always >> individual components.

Leverkusen sold Havertz and are having a better season than the last.

Leipzig sold Werner and you can argue they are either on the same level or better than last season. Bear in mind, Werner didn’t participate in their impressive CL charge in the knockout stage and they still mustered strong results.

Even at Bayern. Take our stars individually (based on their career histories I mean) and compare that to our elite European rivals and you’d realize a good number of our top performers derive their rating from their time at Bayern because of our success and high achieving.

Robben was an outcast at Madrid, Boateng failed at City. At a point in his career Gnabry was a failed prospect at West Brom. Even Kimmich was signed from a Leipzig side that had just earned promotion. Playing at Bayern, the system, the synergy brings the best out of everybody

If these players had made different moves in their career either than Bayern, arguably they wouldn’t have been rated this highly.