Despite 233 fewer games
©IMAGO
In the Bundesliga’s all-time table, Bayer Leverkusen overtook FC Schalke 04 and climbed to eighth place with a 2-1 win in the Rhenish derby at 1. FC Köln on matchday 31. While the Knappen have 2,563 points in 1,832 games, Leverkusen have 2,565 points after 1,599 matches. The 2023/24 champions needed 233 fewer games – with an average points average of 1.6, the Werkself deliver the third-best value.
Borussia Dortmund (1.64) and Bayern Munich (2.04) are ahead of Bayer. Leverkusen are also in third place in the goal difference category: +649, with BVB (+865) and the record champions (+2,466) once again taking the top spots. The Knappen find themselves in the middle of the table with their average points (1.4) and goal difference (-36). The first place team in the 2nd league wants to return to the upper house. While Schalke was relegated to the second division a total of five times after the first Bundesliga season in 1963/64, the Werkself have been consistently in the first division since promotion in 1979/80.
Bayern only lost 370 times, most of them against FC Schalke (0:7, 1976/77). Up to 18th place, only SC Freiburg has fewer defeats (362), although with 1,195 fewer games. If the Munich team does so well in terms of points again this and the following seasons, the lead over second place could grow to 1,000 points – the difference is not so clear in any of the top 5 leagues.
In the international comparison of the all-time tables of the best leagues in Europe, Bayern also deliver the best value with their average points. Real Madrid (2.02), Manchester United (2.0), Juventus Turin (1.89) and Olympique Marseille (1.6) follow behind the Munich team. The clubs cannot be compared based on points alone because the first leagues were founded at different times. The Premier League – launched in 1992/93 – is the youngest.
The Bundesliga was founded in 1963/64 and since then Bayern has played the most games (2,075), followed by Werder Bremen (2,066), BVB and VfB Stuttgart (both 1,998). An anniversary is coming up for the latter two on matchday 32 of the current season, as it will be their 2,000th Bundesliga game. Since the introduction of the upper house, Werder Bremen (3,046) and VfB (2,944) have collected the most points after Bayern and BVB.
Freiburg (1,102) is relatively new in the top 18 of the all-time table. The Breisgauer team moved past Fortuna Düsseldorf (1,024) last season. Next season, Freiburg can climb one place further – the gap to 17th MSV Duisburg (1,147) is 45 points. The Zebras are the only team in the top 18 that doesn’t play first or second class. MSV plays in the 3rd league and is a newcomer in the race for promotion. Duisburg got its last points in the upper house on May 4, 2008 in a 3-1 win against Leverkusen.
The next Bundesliga teams that can climb into the top 18 of the all-time table are 1. FSV Mainz 05 (849) and TSG Hoffenheim (814). Assuming that Fortuna or Karlsruher SC (953) do not get promoted and an average points average of 40 to 50 points per season, a change in the top 18 is foreseeable in four to five seasons.
This article appeared on Transfermarkt in its first version on April 16th. at 9:31 p.m. and was subsequently updated.
