Bayern take the Bundesliga (again) – is the league losing its sparkle?

Bayern Munich’s procession to the Bundesliga title this season was no more than a formality once more. And although it is a league that boasts record attendances, fervent atmospheres, and cracking matches, a one-horse race to the title means those watching the top of the table would have gotten bored very quickly.

This term hinted at a potentially closer run race for the championship – RB Leipzig had impressed in their debut campaign last year and Borussia Dortmund always seem worth mentioning – and after a scorching start from BVB under Peter Bosz, football fans honed in on the German top flight.

Stumbling in Europe and struggling in league – yet still hopeful of a sixth successive league title and still early in the campaign – Bayern called upon a familiar savior: Jupp Heynckes, luring the then-73-year-old out of retirement.

Normal service resumed

The fact Bayern Munich could afford to make such a poor start to the season and still clinch silverware with five matches to spare surely means questions have to be asked of the competitiveness of the Bundesliga.

It is a surprise to see Spain, England, France and the Netherlands have such comfortable title winners in Barcelona, Manchester City, PSG and PSV respectively. However it has unfortunately become a recurring theme in Germany and fans of Bayern now expect nothing but a clean sweep of trophies for any year to prove a successful season.

Bundesliga moving further away from excitement

Gone are the days of the passionate Jürgen Klopp challenging overwhelming dominance in Bavaria – he won successive titles with Borussia Dortmund – and since his departure Bayern have only cruised further ahead of the rest.

A fresh, yet unwelcomed, side in Leipzig had stormed through the divisions and finished runners-up in their debut term in 2017. Although the commercialised ownership of the club meant their impressive maiden Bundesliga season was hardly met with applause in Germany.

And Leipzig haven’t managed to hit the heights this second year and they are yet fighting to clinch one of the league’s spot in next season’s Champions League.

Their failure to kick on from a marvellous first season, coupled with Dortmund’s collapse, left Bayern with no real competitor as they drifted to their sixth consecutive championship at a mere canter.

New challenger, old nemesis

Schalke’s recent burst has already secured them a place in the Champions League however it came too late to trouble a Bayern side already with a hand firmly on the trophy.

And, in their penultimate win before another early title triumph, Bayern perhaps epitomised the gulf between themselves and the rest of the division with a crushing 6-0 win over Borussia Dortmund.

It was a result that, given the Bavarians’ magnificent form, came as less of a surprise as initially thought.

The lack of shock in such a comprehensive victory more than anything emphasizes the decay in Bayern’s competition.

“Maybe next year”

Such a drubbing in Germany’s version of El Classico isn’t something that even a neutral would spur on, and the likes of Dortmund, Schalke, Bayer Leverkusen and RB Leipzig will hope to provide more of a test for Bayern next term.

So, is the Bundesliga slowly losing its shimmer, or are Bayern at their brilliant best just too good to handle?

It has certainly been a superlative response to Dortmund’s back-to-back titles in 2012.