analysis
FC Bayern now dominates the Bundesliga at will. After the fourth championship in a row, monotony is also expected for the next few years.
It was just a week ago that Alexandra Popp was busy promoting the women’s DFB Cup final between VfL Wolfsburg and FC Bayern (May 14th). Lower Saxony had sent their currently injured icon to Cologne, Bayern only sent their third goalkeeper Anna Klink.
A PR appointment at which the 35-year-old couldn’t help but praise the Munich women vigorously. “You have to recognize that they do a very good job, where a lot of things work relatively quickly.” Two years ago, Germany’s three-time female footballer of the year felt it was an insult to her majesty to use the term “changing of the guard” in German women’s football. That be “disrespectful”. With their fourth championship title at the latest, FC Bayern’s exceptional position is confirmed.
There is no competitor in sight far and wide
Nobody breaks into this phalanx so quickly. VfL Wolfsburg, second in the table by 15 points, which was the benchmark for a long time, has undergone a change and is losing in the summer with Vivien Endemann (Liverpool FC) and Lineth Beerenstyn (destination unknown) are once again his best strikers.
The third Eintracht Frankfurt is also facing a bloodletting. The Swiss top player Geraldine Reuteler wants to move to England, the German national players Elisa Senß, Nicole Anyomi and Lisanne Gräwe are also likely to move abroad. After all, Larissa Mühlhaus (Werder Bremen) is expected to be a promising offensive force.
The squad works at the push of a button
Only FC Bayern can keep its squad together. And so the gap continues to grow. 64 out of 66 possible points and a goal difference of 84:8 prove the dominance.
There was plenty of praise from afar from the FCB bosses who were in Leverkusen for the men’s DFB Cup semi-final. “Our fans can be very proud!”said sports director Max Eberl, because three days later the women followed the men’s team almost in lockstep. And CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen let it be known that the women “Season after season” would set new standards. He promised that there would be no let-up in women’s football, as demonstrated by the move to the Unterhaching sports park as a new home, because the campus has long since become too small – and the arena is (still) too big.
Klara Bühl and Giulia Gwinn make it possible
Of course, a compliment from national coach Christian Wück couldn’t be missed: “Head coach José Barcala and his team have once again shown how consistent and focused they can be across an entire season.” The praised Barcala remained modest as usual. “This is a great reward after a long journey”said the 44-year-old.
Under the Spaniard, the team has improved once again in possession of the ball, has the best passing and tackling rates and also leads the fair play rating. Maybe the eighth championship (seven since the Bundesliga was founded in 1990) means none “historical feat”as President Herbert Hainer euphorically exclaimed, it is actually the case that the Bavarian footballers have long been playing in a league of their own.
Bianca Rech bans celebrations
And another parallel within the club: Just like Joshua Kimmich and colleagues, Gwinn and Co. only treated themselves to a celebration with reduced foam because bigger tasks await. The focus is ultimately on the Champions League semi-final against FC Barcelona this weekend.
The Munich team has only made it into the top four in European club football twice (2019 and 2021). At the start of the league phase, the Catalans gave a lesson (7:1) from which Bayern should have learned their lessons.
The domestic dominance of both teams is overwhelming. Spain’s trendsetter won 25 of his 26 games. The goal score was 116:7. It will be extremely difficult for the German leader to achieve the triple.
When will Borussia Dortmund be promoted?
The double is more realistic. But will Wolfsburg really become a spoilsport? Even Popp pointed out: In order to beat the favorites, every woman from Wolfsburg has to “It felt like we were leaving our lives on the line“.
Perhaps it will take as long as it takes for Borussia Dortmund to reach the top for an exciting championship fight. As is well known, Popp is moving to her favorite childhood club and has signed a three-year contract there. However, BVB is threatened with an extra round in the Regionalliga West – and thus FC Bayern will have undisputed supremacy for at least the next few years.