5 things we learned in the Bundesliga this weekend: Hertha is a defensive stalwart

With another weekend of Bundesliga action in the books, we take a look back at some of what we learned from the latest slate of matches.

Mkhitaryan vital to Dortmund's win over Gladbach

In a similar fashion to the season opener between the two, Borussia Dortmund came away from its tie with Borussia Monchengladbach with another convincing victory. Henrik Mkhitaryan proved vital once more in a win that somewhat resembled the one-sided 4-0 thumping to kick the season off.

Mkhitaryan's impact throughout the contest looked like the performances he began to show in the first half of the campaign following a string of lacklustre outings to begin the season.

With one game down in the second half of the season, the gifted Armenian is well on his way to surpassing his previous highs at the club after scoring his seventh goal and providing his league-leading ninth assist in Saturday’s 3-1 victory. His continued run of form - combined with the likes of Marco Reus and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the Bundesliga’s top scorer - should help Dortmund separate itself further from teams vying for a place behind Bayern Munich.

Schalke, Wolfsburg squander chance to climb table

Missing out on an opportunity is a trend that FC Schalke 04 and VfL Wolfsburg can't seem to shake. Considering that the difference between guaranteed Champions League qualification and a place outside of Europe currently stands at seven points, the two clubs are teetering on uneasy ground following another disappointing weekend.

Defeats on Sunday leave the pair in the unsavoury position of facing a bigger tumble down the table. Another loss could see both drop out of the coveted European places, with Wolfsburg already finding itself on the outside looking in, while a margin of less than five points separates each from mid-table mediocrity.

Less-than-convincing Bayern still on course to title

The path to victory was rougher than usual, but a win over Hamburg ensured another three points were added to Bayern Munich’s seemingly unreachable tally.

Despite the reminder that Pep Guardiola’s men are, indeed, capable of momentary lapses of dominance after an own goal saw the underdogs pull ahead, domestic matches could soon offer opportunities for experimentation and conversation in anticipation of an extended Champions League run during the Spanish manager’s last months in Munich.

Hertha produces 5th straight clean sheet

If it wasn’t for a loss to Bayern Munich, and a month-long winter break in between, Hertha Berlin would be well on its way to three months of unbeaten football in the Bundesliga.

Hertha Berlin amazingly recorded its fifth straight clean sheet during a draw against Augsburg to maintain a defensive record matched by Ingolstadt (18) and exceeded only by Bayern (9).

Koln, Stuttgart continue bizarre trend

VfB Stuttgart spoiled the festive atmosphere inside the RheinEnergieStadion when the visitors beat FC Koln. The struggling Bundesliga outfit not only ruined Koln's start to the second half, but it continued a bizarre trend that's seen the away team come away with three points:

At least those in the crowd and on the pitch looked stylish during the loss, as Koln donned "Karneval" kits during the loss.