Date: December 30, 2025
Topic: Mid-Season Statistical Analysis (2025/26)
As we approach the turn of the year in the 2025/2026 season, the league tables tell one story, but the *second-half* tables tell a far more intriguing one. In modern football, where five substitutions and grueling fixture lists test squad depth like never before, the ability to perform from the 46th minute onwards is often the difference between a title charge and a mid-table slump.
Using the latest data from *SoccerSTATS* as of December 30, 2025, we dive into the “Second Half Table” for the German Bundesliga and Portugal’s Primeira Liga to uncover which teams are the true marathon runners of the campaign.
### Bundesliga: Stuttgart’s Late Surge vs. Wolfsburg’s Collapse
While Bayern Munich sits comfortably atop the overall Bundesliga standings (41 points), their dominance in the second half is equally terrifying. Vincent Kompany’s side has accumulated 34 points in the second half alone, with a staggering +23 goal difference. They simply wear teams down.
However, the real story lies with VfB Stuttgart.
#### The “Second Half” Specialists: VfB Stuttgart
If matches ended at halftime, Stuttgart would likely be languishing in mid-table. But in the 46-90 minute window, they are the second-best team in Germany.
* 2nd Half Points: 32 (2nd in the league)
* Overall Position: 6th
* The Insight: Stuttgart’s ability to shift gears is remarkable. With 10 wins in the second half of matches, they are statistically more dangerous late in games than Bayer Leverkusen or RB Leipzig. This suggests elite fitness levels and effective in-game management, allowing them to overturn deficits or break deadlocks when opponents tire.
#### The Danger Zone: VfB Wolfsburg
In stark contrast, Wolfsburg is enduring a nightmare after the break.
* 2nd Half Points: 13 (18th – Dead Last)
* Goal Difference (46-90′): -5
* The Insight: Wolfsburg’s current 14th place in the overall table masks a critical fragility. They are statistically the worst team in the league at managing the second half. Whether it’s a lack of concentration or poor conditioning, they are consistently dropping points from winning or drawing positions. For a team hovering near the relegation zone, this inability to close out games is a flashing red light.
#### The Promoted Duo: HSV and St. Pauli
It is a historic season having both Hamburg clubs back in the top flight. Hamburger SV, finally promoted under Merlin Polzin last May, is finding life tough but manageable.
* HSV: 15th in 2nd Half Stats (14 pts). They are fighting, but often running out of steam.
* St. Pauli: 14th in 2nd Half Stats (15 pts).
Both clubs are showing grit, but their negative goal differences in the second half (-2 and -7 respectively) highlight the brutal step up in quality from the 2. Bundesliga.
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### Primeira Liga: The Two-Horse Race Tightens
In Portugal, the 2025/26 title race is shaping up to be a classic duel between Sporting CP and FC Porto, and the second-half stats confirm just how inseparable they are.
#### Elite Closers: Sporting & Porto
Both giants sit on 38 points in the second-half table after 16 games.
* Sporting CP: +23 Goal Difference (27 Scored, 4 Conceded)
* FC Porto: +16 Goal Difference (19 Scored, 3 Conceded)
* The Insight: The defensive records here are absurd. Porto has conceded only *three* goals in the second half all season. Sporting has conceded four. If you haven’t scored against them by halftime, you probably won’t. This level of control is what separates them from Benfica, who trail with 30 points in the second half standings.
#### The Surprise Package: FC Alverca
The story of the season in Portugal is undoubtedly FC Alverca. Back in the Primeira Liga for the first time since 2004, the newly promoted side is defying expectations.
* 2nd Half Rank: 10th
* Points: 20
* The Insight: Under Custódio Castro, Alverca has proven they belong. Sitting 10th in the second-half table—above established sides like Guimarães and Rio Ave—shows they aren’t just parking the bus. They are competing for the full 90 minutes, a rare trait for a promoted team that usually fades as fatigue sets in.
#### Relegation Watch: AVS
AVS appears destined for the drop unless something drastic changes.
* 2nd Half Points: 7 (Last)
* Goal Difference: -17
* The Insight: With only 1 win in the second half of 16 games and 22 goals conceded, AVS is capitulating after the break. They are effectively playing 45-minute matches before the floodgates open.
### Conclusion
As we head into the second half of the season itself, these “Second Half” stats serve as a predictive tool. Stuttgart and Alverca are outperforming their resources through sheer stamina and tactical flexibility. Meanwhile, Wolfsburg and AVS must urgently address their post-halftime collapses, or they will find themselves in perilous positions come May 2026.