BERLIN, Germany, May 20 – Bayern Munich may have wrapped up a seventh successive Bundesliga title on Saturday, but their domestic dominance was severely tested in one of the most exciting German league campaigns in years.

Perennial champions Bayern, who have romped to the title every season since 2013, finished just two points ahead of Borussia Dortmund, as the title race went down to the final day of the campaign for the first time in a decade.

Yet while the excitement was higher than ever at home, German clubs fared surprisingly poorly in European competition, raising concerns the Bundesliga is a league in decline.

Dortmund’s title challenge, though ultimately unsuccessful, provided welcome respite from the hegemony Bayern have enjoyed in recent years.

Since 2013, the Bavarian giants had won six titles in a row by a margin of 10 points or more, and finished 25 points clear of Dortmund in 2013.

Forced to claw back a nine-point gap to retain their crown, even Bayern welcomed Dortmund’s newfound strength.

“We are happy to have such opponents, and I hope it continues next year because the Bundesliga and the fans in Germany need that,” Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic told broadcaster Sport1 after Saturday’s triumph.

“It was nice to have an exciting title race for once.”

Nor was it just the title race which provided entertainment until the end. On the last day of the campaign, three clubs were still in the running for Champions League qualification, while six sides still had hopes of a Europa League spot.

For all the excitement, however, there is growing concern the Bundesliga cannot keep up with other major European leagues.

Frankfurt-based FAZ newspaper wrote on Saturday the German top-flight was “exciting, but weak”, adding the league produced “masses of losers”.

It was certainly true in the Champions League this year, as all four Bundesliga clubs were knocked out by the last 16.

Bayern, Dortmund and Schalke were all convincingly beaten by English opposition, meaning there was no German team in the quarter-finals for the first time since 2006.

Eintracht Frankfurt’s fairytale run to the Europa League semi-finals aside, it was a barren year for the Bundesliga in Europe.

– ‘Internationally meaningless’ –

In 2013, former Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich coach Ottmar Hitzfeld called the Bundesliga “the best league in the world” after both clubs reached the Champions League final.

Now, many are warning it has become a “second-class” league behind Spain’s La Liga and the English Premier League.

Last January, Bundesliga CEO Christian Seifert warned the league could soon become “internationally meaningless” if it did not adapt and keep the pace with its competitors.

Most Bundesliga clubs run on a model of no debt and financial responsibility, and even mighty Bayern struggle to match the huge transfer sums paid out by Europe’s biggest sides.

The “50+1” rule, which ensures fan power by guaranteeing club members majority voting rights, means most German outfits are unlikely to attract from wealthy foreign investors, as teams in England and France have done.

The once sacrosanct rule has become increasingly contested of late, with calls for it to be reformed or even abolished.

“I hope the league gives up on 50+1,” Bayern president Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told GQ last year.

“I think every club should be able to decide for itself whether it is open to investors or not”.

League CEO Seifert, meanwhile, said in January that the Bundesliga had to find the balance between domestic and international success.

“We need our top clubs to keep the pace in Europe while also offering exciting competition at home,” he said.

%thecontent%%avatar%

%author%

%authornetworks%

%authordescription%

%authornetworks%

Comments

%sidebar%","opedarticle":"","sidead1":"ff","sidead2":"dd","sidead3":"","homestory":"

%title%

%game%%date%Read More--","taxonomyitem":"

%title%

%game%%date%Read More------","fixtureitem":"%name1%%score1%VS%score2%%name2%%time%","home":"rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn 1rn 2rn 3rn 4rn 5rn rn rn rn

Mbungo to swing Cheche back to defense

rn rn Footballrn rn rn Monday, 20th May 2019rn rn rn rn Read Articlern rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrnrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

More Headlines

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn ‘Exciting, but weak’ – Is the Bundesliga in decline?rn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 42 minutes ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn French prosecutors want ex-IAAF boss Diack to stand trialrn

rn rn Athleticsrn rn rn rn 2 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Koepka returns to world No. 1 after fourth major titlern

rn rn Golfrn rn rn rn 5 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn City need to win Champions League, says Guardiolarn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 5 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Koepka avoids collapse to win PGA for fourth major titlern

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 11 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Nadal can’t wait to return to new-look Roland Garrosrn

rn rn Gamern rn rn rn 11 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrn rn rn

Most Popular

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Isuza in as Migne names AFCON squadrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Why I left Jesse Were, Cheche out u2013 Mignern rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn EPL set to splash the cash as transfer window opensrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Basketballrn rn rn rn rn Ex-NBA star Odom used 'fake penis' to cheat drug testersrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Money-minting lessons from Camp Nou for Gor, AFCrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Athleticsrn rn rn rn rn Nyairera fears new IAAF rules will end careerrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Rugbyrn rn rn rn rn Four changes for Shujaa in London, Paris 7srn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Athleticsrn rn rn rn rn First Lady Kenyatta handed award by WHOrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Chapa Dimba All-Stars pick first win in Spainrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

All Sports

rn trn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

‘Exciting, but weak’ – Is the Bundesliga in decline?

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Monday, 20th May 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

French prosecutors want ex-IAAF boss Diack to stand trial

rn rn rn Athleticsrn rn Monday, 20th May 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Koepka returns to world No. 1 after fourth major title

rn rn rn Golfrn rn Monday, 20th May 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

City need to win Champions League, says Guardiola

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Monday, 20th May 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Koepka avoids collapse to win PGA for fourth major title

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Monday, 20th May 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Poll Question

rn rn ntnttnttntt

Will Barcelona win the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League?

ntt
• YES
ntt
• NO
ntt

View Results

ntnn Loading ...n rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Nadal can’t wait to return to new-look Roland Garros

rn rn rn Gamern rn Monday, 20th May 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Upset as Alonso fails to qualify for Indy 500

rn rn rn Motorsrn rn Monday, 20th May 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Mbappe wants responsibility, ‘maybe PSG, maybe elsewhere’

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Monday, 20th May 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Malkia thrash Rwanda in AAG qualifier

rn rn rn Volleyballrn rn Sunday, 19th May 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Nadal beats Djokovic to win ninth Rome title

rn rn rn Gamern rn Sunday, 19th May 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Load More Storiesrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Sponsored

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Featured

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Timothy Olobulurn Mbungo to swing Cheche back to defensern rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 20th May 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn Capital Sportrn Coca-Cola to reward schools with new pitchesrn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 20th May 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn Timothy Olobulurn Five things we learned from Mashemeji Derbyrn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 20th May 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn French prosecutors want ex-IAAF boss Diack to stand trialrn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 20th May 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Koepka returns to world No. 1 after fourth major titlern rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 20th May 2019rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnttt","sidebar":"rn rn rntrn rn t

Most Popular

rn rn t rn t

rn tIsuza in as Migne names AFCON squadrn

rn Footballrn rn Tuesday, 14th May 2019rn rn rn t

rn tWhy I left Jesse Were, Cheche out u2013 Mignern

rn Footballrn rn Tuesday, 14th May 2019rn rn rn t

rn tEPL set to splash the cash as transfer window opensrn

rn Footballrn rn Thursday, 16th May 2019rn rn rn t

rn tEx-NBA star Odom used 'fake penis' to cheat drug testersrn

rn Basketballrn rn Sunday, 19th May 2019rn rn rn t

rn tMoney-minting lessons from Camp Nou for Gor, AFCrn

rn Footballrn rn Saturday, 18th May 2019rn rn rn t

rn tNyairera fears new IAAF rules will end careerrn

rn Athleticsrn rn Thursday, 16th May 2019rn rn rn t

rn tFour changes for Shujaa in London, Paris 7srn

rn Rugbyrn rn Thursday, 16th May 2019rn rn rn t

rn tFirst Lady Kenyatta handed award by WHOrn

rn Athleticsrn rn Sunday, 19th May 2019rn rn rn t

rn tChapa Dimba All-Stars pick first win in Spainrn

rn Footballrn rn Tuesday, 14th May 2019rn rn rn rn rn trn rn rnrn rn rn rn t

Featured

rn rn trn rn rn rn rn Timothy Olobulurn Mbungo to swing Cheche back to defensern rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 20th May 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn Capital Sportrn Coca-Cola to reward schools with new pitchesrn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 20th May 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn Timothy Olobulurn Five things we learned from Mashemeji Derbyrn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 20th May 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn French prosecutors want ex-IAAF boss Diack to stand trialrn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 20th May 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Koepka returns to world No. 1 after fourth major titlern rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 20th May 2019rn rn rn rn rn rn rn trn rn rn rn","articleerror":"

Oops...Something broke on our end

"},"messages":{"accessdenied":"Access to the account has been denied ","httperror":"Oops, something went wrong...please try again","contactgoogle":"Contacting Google","firsttime":"Seems this is your first time with this signin system. Please wait as we get your name","signinsuccess":"Cool. You're now signed in. This signin will close automatically now","pendingrequest":"Still communicating with the server","signedout":"Seems you were signed out. Try submitting again after you've been signed in","trackingerror":"Couldn't track Analytics","xhrnotconfigured":"To webmaster: Please confirm the xhr/ajax receptor is configured on the server","loadmore":"Load more stories"}}; /* ]]> */