Werder Bremen’s huge win at home over Portugal’s Nacional in the Europa League yesterday (4:1) further consolidated Per Mertesacker’s (pictured in center) lead in the FTBL ranking of defenders in the German Bundesliga: he is now 6.6 points ahead of # 2 Philipp Lahm of Bayern Munich.

Yet the Germany international might still lose the top spot in the ranking, given he will have to “defend” 11.95 rating points in the coming weekend, while Lahm will go into his own weekend encounter with a guaranteed 1 rating point, compensation for the loss to French side Bordeaux.

Bayern will host No. 11 Borussia Mönchengladbach, which means a likely win; Mönchengladbach have not been able to extract more than a draw from Munich in the past 5 years. Werder are likewise the favorites against No. 14 FC Köln, but if Bayern win, that won’t help Mertesacker. But if Bayern draw and Werder win, then we will have to count the goals scored and against.