Berlin (AFP)

Dortmund, with another double from the incredible Haaland, temporarily took the lead of the Bundesliga on Saturday after a 3-1 victory against Mainz, while Leipzig, three days before his trip to Paris in C1, went for a draw without panache in Friborg (1-1).

At Borussia, Erling Haaland returned from injury and the Norwegian colossus continued his story where it left off in September: with nine goals in six matches played, he took over from Lewandowski (Bayern) the top of the scorers' standings and placed Dortmund at the top of the Bundesliga, with 18 points in eight days.

The podium could be reshuffled on Sunday, after the summit shock (3:30 p.m.) between Leverkusen and Munich, both at 16 points.

The winner, if there is one, will take the lead one point ahead.

Dortmund will remain the only leader in the event of a draw.

At 21, Haaland continues to assert himself match after match as a football phenomenon: since arriving in Dortmund in January 2020, he has displayed an almost frightening consistency, with 70 goals scored in 68 matches in all competitions.

And since its emergence at the highest level with Salzburg in 2019, it has never known a slump.

Against Mainz, captain Marco Reus opened the scoring, then Haaland struck from the penalty spot (2-0, 54th) and, at the very end of the match, he took over a service from Jude Bellingham, the young Englishman of 18 (3 -1, 90th + 4).

"His importance for us is huge, it's clear that we missed him", admitted Reus after the match, "when he is there, he always mobilizes two or three opposing players".

German Dortmund striker Marco Reus during the German Premier League match between Borussia Dortmund and Mainz in Dortmund, western Germany on October 16, 2021. Ina Fassbender AFP

- Leipzig in slow motion -

Less effective, Leipzig poorly negotiated its dress rehearsal before its high-risk match Tuesday in Paris.

On the lawn of Friborg, fourth in the standings, the RB was superior in the first period but scored only once, on a penalty obtained by Christopher Nkunku and transformed by the boss of the attack, the Swedish international Emil Forsberg (1-0, 32nd).

After the break, the Saxons were too messy in attack to be dangerous and Freiburg came down to 1-1.

Forgotten alone at six meters by the central defense of RB, the South Korean Woo-Yeong Jeong was able to regain an unopposed lead (64th).

"We are not efficient enough in the last thirty meters, and we make too many mistakes in our own thirty meters," lamented American RB coach Jesse Marsch, "we try to learn and play every day. better and better, but it's not that simple at the moment, we have too many sites ".

RB, on the Bundesliga podium for the past three seasons, completely missed their start in August-September, and despite seven points taken in three matches, they remain in 8th position, seven lengths behind provisional leader Dortmund.

Leipzig's US coach Jesse Marsch during the German Premier League match between Freiburg and RB Leipzig in Freiburg, southwestern Germany, on October 16, 2021. Thomas KIENZLE AFP

In the Champions League, the situation for the club is worse: after two defeats in two matches, 6-3 at Manchester City and 2-1 at home against Brugge, Nkunku and his teammates are now doomed to the feat if they want to obtain at least third place in their group, qualifying for the Europa League.

© 2021 AFP