FC Bayern are the champions of Germany! The nation’s most successful club officially sealed their third Bundesliga title in a row at twenty past seven European time on Sunday evening without kicking a ball. Saturday’s 1-0 win at home to Hertha BSC put Munich 15 points clear of Wolfsburg with four games to play – and with the Wolves losing 1-0 to high-flying Borussia Mönchengladbach, the Bavarians can no longer be toppled from top spot!
“Retaining the title is a magnificent achievement. All credit to the coach and the team,” enthused Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. “They’ve been fantastic throughout, in a season following a World Cup where we had a host of players in action.”
Title party at a later date
Bayern were confirmed as champions without actually playing for the first time since 1988/89, where FC Köln’s goalless draw with Stuttgarter Kickers meant FCB were home and dry with two games to spare. This season, Germany’s biggest club have crossed the finishing line two matches earlier for what is the third-quickest title triumph in Bundesliga history, equalling the achievement in 1972/73 and 2002/03.
However, the men from Munich have no time to celebrate yet. Bayern aim to overcome Borussia Dortmund and reach the DFB Cup final on Tuesday evening, but skipper Philipp Lahm has already made a promise: “At some point we’ll be up there on the Town Hall balcony, and we’ll go for it with our fans!” Rummenigge concluded: “We’ll have a magnificent party at some stage, no worries. But all in good time. When we do, it’ll be a huge celebration.”
