The Bundesliga is renowned for its star players, unique clubs and modern style of
football, as well as its consistently high number of goals per game. The league was in
the spotlight earlier this year as the first major sporting league to return to the field
following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Following the successful conclusion of the 2019-20 season, with FC Bayern München claiming the UEFA Champions League in addition to their eighth consecutive title, the German league is now gearing up for
another action-packed season. If you are not already an avid Bundesliga fan, here is all
you need to know about the German top flight.
On September 18, FC Bayern München will kick off the 58th Bundesliga season against FC
Schalke 04. The Bavarian club completed an outstanding 2018-19 season by securing the
second treble in its history – combining the Bundesliga championship, domestic DFB-Pokal
and the UEFA Champions League. FC Bayern München’s winning mentality has led it to
secure 29 Bundesliga titles in total, more than any other team. However, the Meisterschale
(Bundesliga trophy) never comes easy and there will be a number of clubs looking to halt
Bayern’s unprecedented run.
The first Bundesliga season kicked off in 1963 and has been an integral part of German
culture ever since. The league consists of 18 teams, who compete against each other twice,
once at home and once away, for a total of 306 games per season.
In addition to the fight for the Meisterschale, the tussle against relegation is just as exciting
and hard-fought. The teams which finish in 17th and 18th place are automatically relegated
to the second division of German professional football, the Bundesliga 2. Their place is taken
by the top two teams from the Bundesliga 2. Adding to the thrill of the season finale each
summer, the third-from-bottom side in the Bundesliga table and the third-placed team of
the Bundesliga 2 meet in two home-and-away play-off fixtures, to decide which team will
play in the Bundesliga in the following season.
All of this sets the framework for the most entertaining football in the world. The Bundesliga
has a track record of being the league with the most goals scored per game in Europe, a
testament to its fast and modern football. In the 2019-20 season, there was an average of
3.21 goals scored per game, more than any other major European league. This is not likely to
change anytime soon as the Bundesliga is a magnet for young international talent.
Sensational up and coming players such as Erling Haaland, Alphonso Davies, Marcus Thuram
and Tyler Adams demonstrate the class, speed and display on display in the Bundesliga.
It was a record season for the Bundesliga in many ways, and the young guns showed that
they were ready to take centre stage. Haaland scored a hat-trick in just 23 minutes as a
substitute on his Bundesliga debut, making him the fastest ever player to score three
Bundesliga goals. He would go on to average a goal every 44 minutes, a dazzling return for
the 20-year old striker. The Bundesliga’s speed record was also broken no less than five
times over the course of the season and was ultimately claimed by the Bayern ‘Roadrunner’
Davies, when he registered a speed of 22.69 mph on Matchday 32, the day the Munich club
won the title at Werder Bremen.
Bringing through young players is more than just about squad development in the
Bundesliga, it is in fact an obligation. The Licence Regulations set by the DFL Deutsche
Fußball Liga, which manages the two top tiers of German football, state that all Bundesliga
and Bundesliga 2 clubs must run their own youth academies. These now famed academies
have produced world-class talents, including Leon Goretzka, Leroy Sané (both FC Schalke 04),
Joshua Kimmich, Serge Gnabry (both VfB Stuttgart), Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund) and
Timothy Chandler (Eintracht Frankfurt).
Bundesliga coaches are also taking the game to a new level. Legendary managers such as
Jürgen Klopp (1. FSV Mainz 05, Borussia Dortmund), Joachim Löw (VfB Stuttgart) and many
more have left their mark on the league. In 2020-21, after a phenomenal inaugural season at
the helm of FC Bayern München, Hansi Flick has set himself a high benchmark to match.
Meanwhile Julian Nagelsmann, Lucien Favre and Marco Rose will be driving their own teams’
title push with RB Leipzig, Borussia Dortmund and Borussia Mönchengladbach respectively,
after they all sat top of the ladder for significant parts of the 2019-20 season.
All the players and coaches will be giving their all to bring glory to their clubs and joy to their
supporters. Its fan culture sets the Bundesliga apart from other top football leagues, with all
Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 clubs having their own unique history and passionate fan base.
Many clubs are much more than just football clubs – they are the heart of the community
offering many different services and investing in numerous social projects. In normal
circumstances, the capacity crowds throughout Germany are unrivalled. Though spectators in
the stadium will be reduced in number as the season starts, fans remain the
foundation of their clubs.
Innovation is another key feature of the Bundesliga. It is always looking to incorporate
cutting edge technology into all facets of the game and its media product. In recent years it
has rolled out one innovation after the next, most recently cooperating with Vodafone to
bring 5G to the Bundesliga and partnering with Amazon Web Services to deliver real-time
stats for greater viewer insight and personalised content across a number of platforms and
devices.
All this goes to show that the Bundesliga is in a league of its own when it comes to
entertaining football. In addition to the FC Bayern München VS. FC Schalke 04 clash, the first
Matchday is packed with mouth-watering fixtures, just take Borussia Dortmund against
Borussia Mönchengladbach for example. Make sure you don’t miss the start of what is sure
to be another riveting season of Bundesliga football.
