17 matchdays, 1,530 minutes, 91,800 seconds

91,800 seconds – emotion and discussion, thrilling highs and sobering lows: The first half of the 2013/14 Bundesliga season has provided a rollercoaster of emotions, both for the fans and for the whole team at Hannover 96. A renewed struggle away, big home wins and intense comebacks have provided lasting memories. We take a closer look at the encounters so far this season: Who has had the most playing time, who is the top goalscorer and who has collected the most yellow cards?

No team without Zieler

There hasn’t been a moment so far this season in which goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler hasn’t been involved. He has been on the pitch from start to finish in every single one of the 17 matches in the first half of the campaign, meaning he has played every possible minute. Big Dane Leon Andreasen follows him in second, having also featured in all 17 matches. The midfielder has been brought off five times, however, giving him a total of 1,441 minutes of playing time. Other players that have reached the 1,000 mark are Hiroki Sakai (16 games/1,366 minutes), who has profited from the injury to Steven Cherundolo, Lars Stindl (15/1,261), Salif Sané (14/1,260), Szabolcs Huszti (14/1,199), Edgar Prib (16/1,143), Marcelo (13/1,130), Sébastien Pocognoli (13/1,075) and Artur Sobiech (16/1,021). Striker Mame Diouf missed out on four digits by a whisker (12/924). Leonardo Bittencourt (15/732), Christian Schulz (10/636), André Hoffmann (11/595) and Manuel Schmiedebach (9/405) have all played less than half of the possible minutes. Ivorian Didier Ya Konan (6/330) has unfortunately made just six appearances for the Reds, before he was ruled out with an ankle injury. The other players with three digits to their name are Jan Schlaudraff (10/277), Christian Pander (3/120) and Karim Haggui (3/105), who moved to VfB Stuttgart in September. Players who failed to break the 100 mark are captain Steven Cherundolo (2/82), who only returned to selection for the final few games of the year, Deniz Kadah (3/81) and youngster Valmir Sulejmani (2/60), who can be delighted with an hour’s playing time in the Bundesliga. Long-term injured Felipe hasn’t featured yet this season, along with back-up goalkeepers Markus Miller and Konstantin Fuhry, Adrian Nikci, Christopher Avevor, Franca and youth talents Florian Ballas, Yannik Schulze, Ali Gökdemir and Almir Kasumovic.


Huszti celebrates the winning goal against Ausgburg with his teammates

Huszti magic produces goals

The most successful points-scorer (goals + assists) in the first half of the campaign is Szabolcs Huszti with six goals and five assists. The Hungarian has been involved in around half of Hannover’s goals. He has also continued his reputation as a clinical penalty taker with nerves of steel, despatching all three of the penalties he has taken this season. It’s hardly surprising the see Huszti voted Player of the Year back home in his native Hungary. Behind him in second place is Mame Diouf, who has had an important role with five goals and two assists to his name. Artur Sobiech has found the back of the net three times, once more than teammates Salif Sané and Leonardo Bittencourt, who scored hugely important goals in each of the year’s final two games. Edgar Prib, Leon Andreasen, Didier Ya Konan, Christian Schulz and Hiroki Sakai all have one goal to their name. The player behind Huszti in the assists department is Prib with four, followed by Diouf and Bittencourt (both 3). Lars Stindl, André Hoffmann and Valmir Sulejmani have each provided one assist.

"Szabi" also king of cards

Szabolcs Huszti is also at the top of the next category. As well as being the top points-scorer, he also has the less honourable title of “king of cards”. The Hungarian has picked up five yellow cards and one straight red, which explains his absence in three games so far this season. Marcelo has the same record as Huszti bar one yellow card after some committed tackling at the back. His defensive teammate Salif Sané has five yellow cards to his name, with one yellow-red card to go with it. Mame Diouf has also been sent off for two bookings this season, although he has only picked up one other yellow card. There are others that have received more warnings – Hiroki Sakai and Lars Stindl have been yellow-carded four times each, while Edgar Prib, Leonardo Bittencourt, Sébastien Pocognoli and Leon Andreasen have each been booked three times. Artur Sobiech and Jan Schlaudraff have two yellows, with Deniz Kadah, Christian Schulz, André Hoffmann and Ron-Robert Zieler all on one booking. With a total of 43 yellow cards, Hannover 96 have the worst disciplinary record in the Bundesliga.