Bayern’s Bundesliga dominance sparks reform calls

Bayern Munich’s decade of dominance in the Bundesliga has fuelled calls for reforms to make the German top flight more exciting, with even end-of-season play-offs being suggested as a possible solution.

The Bavarian giants secured a 10th straight league title by beating Borussia Dortmund 3-1 on Saturday, leaving many German football fans hoping for more competition.

Five clubs have won the English Premier League in the same timeframe, three each have lifted the Spanish La Liga and French Ligue 1 crowns, while Italy’s Serie A has enjoyed two close seasons after years of Juventus success.

“The league would of course be more attractive if it had more competition at the top,” Donata Hopfen, the new CEO of the German Football League said earlier this year.

“If play-offs help us, then we’ll talk about play-offs.”

It has been 10 years since current Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp steered Dortmund to the second of back-to-back titles in 2012.

Dortmund finished just two points off the pace in 2018-19, but Bayern have ended at least 10 points clear in each of their other eight title-winning campaigns in this unprecedented run.

Bayern have finished more than 14 points clear on average over the previous nine seasons, so actually still have work to do to match that this term, holding a 12-point lead with three matches remaining.

Jupp Heynckes, Pep Guardiola, Carlo Ancelotti, Niko Kovac, Hansi Flick and current boss Julian Nagelsmann are the big-name coaches who have kept Bayern on top.

Bayern, who enjoy far greater resources than their German rivals, have also signed several highly-rated players from within the Bundesliga. (AFP)