[Debate] Are Bayern And Dortmund Turning The Bundesliga Into A Two-Horse Race?

By TheHardTackle
11 years Ago

The question of Bundesliga competitiveness resembles something of a paradox. The league is known for being an open race, where literally any team could be the surprise of the season; at the same time, there’s a 50/50 chance that Bayern Munich will run away with the championship on any given year. So how competitive, really, is a league that’s characterized not by competitors, but by would-be Bayern-chasers?

Borussia Dortmund in recent years has come up with an emphatic answer. From dominating the Bundesliga race to demolishing Bayern 5-2 in the 2012 DFB-Pokal final, BVB has emerged as the alternative German powerhouse. But the question remains: how long can they keep this up? And if they do, what does that mean for the rest of the league?

With this (and more) in mind, THT’s Bundesliga enthusiasts debate the following question:

Given Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund’s roaring successes in recent years, is the Bundesliga in danger of going “Spanish” i.e. dominated by two and only two teams?

Aditya Balaram says yes, due to Bayern’s historical dominance and Dortmund’s smart management.

I do see the possibility of the Bundesliga becoming a two-horse race over the years to come. Bayern Munich’s love story with the top of the table is no secret at all, and the bond between the club and the peak of German football only seems to be getting stronger and stronger with every passing season. They look like an unstoppable force in European football at the moment, and their vice grip over domestic football isn’t going to let up anytime soon. I think it’s fair to say that they will continue to be one of the biggest clubs in Germany for a long, long time.

Borussia Dortmund is the other side responsible for bringing up the question of whether or not the Bundesliga might go down the same path as La Liga. Unlike earlier sides that may have dethroned Bayern for a season or two, Dortmund look like a side that can threaten Bayern’s place at the top for a considerable amount of time. Earlier pretenders had at best a couple of seasons alongside Bayern at the top of German football, but the Yellow and Blacks from the Ruhr region have now fought tooth and nail with Bayern and not just at the domestic level but also at the continental level, something that no other German side could do since possibly Bayer Leverkusen earlier in the 2000’s.

Dortmund haven’t been fazed with the loss of their big names either as they’ve spent smart, spent a considerable amount and look set to continue to do so. Their latest summer expenditure was a clear sign of this and as long as the likes of Watzke and Klopp remain at the club, they shouldn’t be too troubled in this department.

The only other side now showing signs of threatening this duo is Bayer Leverkusen. They managed to keep pace with Dortmund last season and are having absolutely no problems in pushing for the title this season, but the big test will be maintaining this level over an entire season where they have to perform on three fronts. Squad depth, their guile in the transfer market and Sami HyypiAi??’s tactical ability will be the key if Leverkusen are to ensure that the Bundesliga doesn’t go the Spanish way.

But one thing is for sure: irrespective of how long Dortmund and Bayern are at the top, the rest of the sides will always continue to entertain in their own little ways. Never will the Bundesliga lack sides like Freiburg of 2012 or Gladbach of 2011. Two horse at the top maybe, but it’s sixteen sides capable of pulling off anything below.

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June Pan says yes, due to Bayern and Dortmund’s financial clout.Ai??

JA?rgen Klopp last season worried that the Bundesliga would go “Scottish”, i.e. dominated by a runaway leader (Bayern); but I think Uli HoeneAY’s concern about a two-horse race is more likely. If we just look at it from a financial perspective, Bayern and Dortmund are the top two German teams by a clear mile.

Both teams have histories of success, but what has changed today is the globalization of the sport — in this aspect Bayern, and increasingly Dortmund, now hold the upper hand over the rest of the Bundesliga. With their record-setting domestic displays and scintillating Champions League runs, Bayern and Dortmund are raising German football’s profile to new international heights, as has been pointed out by the press. But the real question is, who will benefit most from this attention?

The answer would be: the (current) top two teams. Between Bayern’s longstanding brand name and Dortmund’s exponentially-rising stock, the two are poised to harness financial power that is simply not available to the rest of the league. The Bundesliga’s financial regulations become a double-edged sword in this case. The 50+1 rule ensures that the league cannot go the way of Manchester City or AS Monaco, but it also means that clubs are entirely dependent on their local membership, domestic success, and youth development. Which is all well and good, until you factor in Bayern: an international financial giant among homegrown dwarves. In the last five years, Bayern alone accounted for 72% of net Bundesliga transfer expenditure. And Dortmund are rising to Bayern’s level, what with their Champions League heroics (and prize money), increased TV revenue, the maelstrom of media attention, and excellent brand name. BVB’s attractiveness to potential investors is on the rise. And in a league where billionaire-bankrolling is not an option, this revenue stream is everything.

Of course, other clubs have flexed their financial muscle in recent years. The biggest spenders, apart from Bayern, include Wolfsburg, HSV, and Hannover. But where Bayern and Dortmund have distinguished themselves is in excellent coaching and management. Success breeds upon success; the top two have made their spending count, and this is how Bayern and Dortmund’s financial power create the impact that other German teams often lack. I hope to be proven wrong, but in 20 years we may look back on this current half-decade as a turning point in Bundesliga history.

Siddharth Mohan says no, due to the rising level of all German teams and Ai??financial regulations that keep the league fair.Ai??

Yes, Bayern Munich will always be the top dog year in and year out simply because of the way the club is run and the financial stability they have, but the last few seasons of the Bundesliga has definitely suggested that other clubs are slowly but gradually building themselves up for the challenge. One of the key aspects that does not allow Bayern and Dortmund to run away financially is the DFB ruling against foreign investments having large stake holds in any German club. Bundesliga clubs cannot overnight become a PSG or a Monoco or something along that line. In the Bundesliga it has always been “you spend what you earn”, and this has applied to even the big boys.

With the Bundesliga earning an extra Champions League spot, clubs have began to stock up on talents from outside Germany as well in order to remain competitive and qualify for Europe. By playing in Europe, you also attract the best names and a regular inflow of money. Over the last couple of years, clubs like Leverkusen, Schalke, Wolfsburg, Hoffenheim and others have spent quite well on getting such names due to which the competitive nature of the Bundesliga has definitely increased. The sheer magnitude of the scramble to qualify for Europe over the last 2-3 years says it all.

Sure, in the current scenario it looks as if Bayern and Dortmund might be the only two horses eying the top spot. But as clubs do well in Europe and the big names and sponsors take a look at the Bundesliga, it will not be far off before other German clubs compete for the ‘salad bowl’. Bayer Leverkusen this season are already threatening to do so.

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Rishi Jain says no, due to historical patterns that Dortmund to be just another in a long line of challengers to Ai??Bayern’s monopoly.Ai??

It would seem that the Bundesliga is becoming a two-horse race with Dortmund and Bayern winning the domestic championship two times a piece in the last four years. This season is following a similar script as well, with Bayern and Dortmund leading the way though Leverkusen have managed to stay on their coattails so far.

But if a true analysis is done over the last 25-30 years, it is just Bayern who have dominated, with other teams managing to challenge them in cycles. Since the 1985 season Bayern have won the Bundesliga 15 times with Dortmund coming in 2nd with five titles, and Werder Bremen in 3rd with three titles. Jurgen Klopp was of a similar opinion last season, when he said that there was more danger of the German league following the template of the one-horse Scottish league rather than the two-horse Spanish league.

There is also the point that all of the young German talent wants to play for FC Bayern at some point in their career, and this is perfectly illustrated by Mario GAi??tze choosing them despite being the main man at Dortmund. It is this fact more than any other which ensures that the Munich-based side are always at the top table challenging for domestic and European honours.

Therefore, I would say that the Bundesliga in its modern avatar has always been a championship dominated by Bayern, and it is now Dortmundai??i??s turn to be their main challenger. It could so easily be a Schalke or a Bremen doing the same next year, especially with Lewandowski departing for Bayern in the summer.

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Categories: Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Features, German Bundesliga
Tags: Bayern Munich Borussia Dortmund THT Debates

Given Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund’s roaring successes in recent years, is the Bundesliga in danger of going “Spanish” i.e. dominated by two and only two teams?

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