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Germany Bundesliga

Who is the most likely Candidate to Win the Bundesliga title?

Samrin Hasib, January 4 2012,
The top four teams are separated by only four points. This Bundesliga title race has the makings of a very intense and special one.
The ugly salad bowl
The ugly salad bowl
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Related Articles: Bayern, Dortmund, Monchengladbach, Schalke, Bremen, Leverkusen
Marco Reus today dedicated himself to the club that rejected him not too long ago, Borussia Dortmund following the end of the current season. In retrospect, that transfer was a rivalry between Bayern and Dortmund, with Dortmund triumphing again. Bayern had targeted Reus publicly and as we all know, Bayern does not like to lose out in any aspect to their rivals.

Bayern nonetheless has the edge where it really matters- the Bundesliga title race. They are comfortably at the top with a three point lead over the Ruhr sides and a four point lead over Moenchengladbach. Two sides who have contended in recent seasons sit fifth and sixth in table: Bremen and Leverkusen.

Primarily, the question really focuses on Gladbach: is Gladbach a legitimate title contender? Gladbach was the leader of the pack on Match-day 3. They were as high as second on Match-day 14. Reus is rightfully taking the headlines as he has scored 10 goals and set the Bundesliga alight.

However, Gladbach’s success is a team effort. Three players have played every game in the season from the start: Dante, Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Juan Arango. Each of these three has been highly influential to the cause. Ter Stegen has earned brilliant reviews and has been the best keeper in the first half of the season.

Some suspect that an injury to Reus might put an end to Gladbach’s challenge. Others suggest that they can manage without Reus as they showed against Borussia Dortmund. The previous surprise packages of the Bundesliga where Hertha and Mainz 05-neither went on to win the title or even finish in the top three.

Based on the standings of last season, Schalke’s ascent to third place can be considered a surprise. Schalke’s entertaining and crowd-pleasing football has left them vulnerable at the back on many occasions. While they have scored tonnes of goals, they have conceded 22 times already. This defence is what might see their title challenge fall apart.

Schalke has beaten Gladbach and Bremen but has lost to the two sides ahead of them: Bayern and Dortmund. Schalke had the best defensive record in 2009-2010 alongside Bayern but finished second due to their poor record in front of goal. This season Schalke holds the second best scoring record, behind Bayern.

Dortmund stands second in the table. The holders had a slow start to the season but recovered well. The secret to Dortmund’s success is known to every fan- they press their opponents into mistakes tirelessly and take advantage accordingly. Their passing is usually accurate and intelligent. Their approach requires a lot of energy.

The question is whether Dortmund can continue to use this energy sapping style. Last season, towards the end, Dortmund started to fall away and drop unnecessary points. They were lucky that Bayern had a poor season and Leverkusen was too inconsistent in the first half of the season.

Leverkusen, with a change of coach perhaps or with a bit of consistency, can challenge as well. Some performances have been impressive but on the whole, Leverkusen is sixth mainly due to the incompetence of their rivals below. They are 11 points behind Bayern. Bremen was considered to be a contender until they were brushed aside by Schalke, Gladbach and Bayern. They also lost 1-2 to ten-man Dortmund.

Finally, the team which is in pole position to win the title is Bayern. Bayern is ahead of the pack in every aspect: they have scored the most goals and conceded the least number of goals. Their early season dominance put them on top and they have remained there except for match-day thirteen when they stood third.

Bayern has the look of champions but they have their own problems: they are still involved in the Champions League much like Leverkusen and are still alive in the DFB Pokal. No other Bundesliga side will feature in three competitions in 2012 except Bayern.

Bayern has a small squad which Jupp Heynckes isn’t really willing to build on in January. Bayern suffered from fatigue towards the first half of the season due to the small squad and the injury to Bastian Schweinsteiger. Keeping Schweinsteiger fit will be key for Bayern if they are to win titles on all fronts.

Finally, considering the weaknesses of every side, it is impossible to predict the winner of the race. It could boil down to a race between Bayern and Dortmund.

Whichever team wins it will have to have the will to go all the way to the final day. This is going to be one interesting and intense title race that will leave fans at the edge of their seats. Who do you think will win?

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