The Bundesliga has not had an exciting title race for a while, and a former club captain thinks Bayern Munich’s dominance is bad for the competition
The Bundesliga has not had an exciting title race for a while and club legend Philipp Lahm thinks Bayern Munich’s dominance is bad for the competition.
The former Bavarian captain wants to see a proper title race because he feels the gulf between Bayern Munich and the rest is not good for German football.
Bayern have won the title in each of the last six seasons, with 10 points as close as any side has come to toppling Germany’s most successful team since Borussia Dortmund were victorious in 2011-12.
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In the same period, the European giants have won the title by as many as 21 and 25 points and their ex-full back Lahm – who retired in 2017 – wants to see more competition at the top of the table.
“It is important for the health of the Bundesliga that there is competition,” the World Cup winner told Marca.
“I am happy that Bayern wins, but it would be better if the other sides challenged them.
“In Spain, Barcelona, [Real] Madrid and Atletico Madrid can win LaLiga. Here [Germany], it [the title race] ends in April.”
During his time playing for Bayern and Germany, Lahm worked under respected coaches such as Pep Guardiola, Carlo Ancelotti and Joachim Low.
Although none have inspired him to go into management yet, Lahm looks back in amazement at Guardiola’s ability to analyse and educate his players.
“Pep is a super coach,” Lahm added. “He is very good, the best at analysing the opponent and the concept of the game.
“I don’t know what impact he has had on German football, but he left a mark on all of us at Bayern because of how he analysed and educated the players in their positions and in the way they played.
“We knew what the other was going to do in any circumstance of the game.”
Bayern have made a typically strong start to the new Bundesliga campaign, securing back to back wins in their opening two games against Hoffenheim and Stuttgart, under their new manager Niko Kovac.