After Germany’s strong showing in South Africa this summer – hot on the heels of Bayern Munich’s march to the Champions League final – the nation is understandably buzzing as the new campaign kicks off.
There was a freshness to the Germans’ play at the World Cup which hinted at the improvements in domestic club football. The likes of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Thomas Muller certainly enhanced their reputations, putting the Bundesliga back on the map, and the boost was felt all around the league.
And to add to the excitement, the 2010/11 title race looks like being one of the most gripping in recent memory, with a clutch of sides lined up to challenge the champions, Bayern Munich. World Cup revelations Mesut Ozil and Sami Khedira have sought pastures new in Madrid, but there have been enough Bundesliga arrivals to keep fans intrigued.
Two veteran players dominated the Bundesliga headlines this summer and have given their new clubs real hope of mounting a title challenge. First, Michael Ballack completed a move back to Bayer Leverkusen, where he spent three seasons between 1999 and 2002. Ballack still has plenty left in the tank and Chelsea’s loss will be Leverkusen’s gain.
Though the German was not part of Carlo Ancelotti’s plans at Stamford Bridge, he remains a classy passer and an imposing midfield presence. Leverkusen were just short of the Champions League spots last season and will be driven to mount a title challenge, especially with one of their former heroes back in town.
Schalke completed a big move of their own, grabbing legendary striker Raul from Real Madrid. The Spaniard’s glittering career might be coming to an end, but he is still a potent predator who will thrive in a Schalke team that is going from strength to strength. They finished runners-up last year and will be in contention. Raul is already showing that his experience and sublime touch will benefit the club immensely.
But despite these improvements, Leverkusen and Schalke will face stiff competition in the title race. Bayern Munich remain the team to beat and are armed with some of the top performers from the World Cup. Louis van Gaal’s side won the league by five points last time out – along with German Cup glory and a spot in the Champions League final – and no team in the Bundesliga can compete with the attacking menace of Muller, Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery. The champions put themselves back in the conversation about Europe’s elite clubs with their dynamic displays in all three competitions.
Wolfsburg, now managed by former England coach Steve McClaren, have succeeding in clinging to Edin Dzeko and Grafite thus far and should be a part of the discussion. An interesting arrival at the Volkswagen arena is Simon Kjaer, a highly rated young Danish centre back. Kjaer didn’t come cheap, costing Wolfsburg a mighty €12M to snap up from Palermo; his performances in the Bundesliga will be keenly watched. It may take time though for the players to gel under McClaren, whose resume was boosted by winning the Dutch title last season with FC Twente. Meanwhile, Werder Bremen sold Ozil to Real Madrid, hurting their chances of repeating last year’s third place finish, but brought in midfielder Wesley from Santos and hope to have unearthed a gem. Borussia Dortmund are another outside bet and possess plenty of talent, if not household names.
At the other end of the table, Nurnberg are widely tipped to be relegation candidates. Dieter Hecking’s side needed a playoff to save their Bundesliga status last year and the squad has been weakened over the summer. Many see Nurnberg propping up the table, but Timmy Simons, the veteran Belgian defender-cum-midfielder, lands in Franconia fresh from five years with PSV Eindhoven to add a look of some stability at the back.
St. Pauli are the weaker of the two teams promoted from 2.Bundesliga and, crucially, there is little top flight experience within the dressing room. It will take time for the players to adapt to the leap in quality. Despite all the optimism surrounding Kaiserslautern’s promotion, they too face a tough campaign and must rely on loan signings as transfer funds are limited. There is also reason to suspect that Freiburg and Hannover could be dragged into a relegation dogfight after disappointing performances last season.
There is sure to be gripping action at both ends of the table, but it is the title race that will dominate the headlines over the next 10 months. It will be tight at the top throughout the season, but look for Bayern Munich to prevail, with Schalke and Leverkusen completing the top three. Though there are four or five sides capable of mounting an assault on the title, it is hard to look beyond the power and match-winners that the champions possess.
German football is flying high at present, making the 2010/11 Bundesliga season a mouth-watering prospect.
