With the Bundesliga set to resume this weekend, one of the more competitive title races in recent history is all set to resume.
While Bayern may have a four-point lead over Borussia Dortmund in the standings and have the superior Bundesliga 2020 odds, only six points separate the top four teams, so it’s still anyone’s title for the taking.
If a few Bundesliga 2020 results go a certain way, this 2019-20 season might end up making the list of the most exciting title run-ins in history.
There have been so many great ones through the years that it was hard to narrow it down to just a handful of seasons, but here are SBOBET’s selection of the five best Bundesliga title chases.
5. 1999-2000 – Leverkusen let title slip on the last day
Bayer Leverkusen are known as the “Eternal Bridesmaids” and “Bayer Neverkusen” for a reason. From 1996-2002, Die Werkself finished runners-up in the league four times. But by far the most painful of those four failures was in 1999-2000.
After returning from the winter break, Leverkusen went on a torrid run which saw them win 12 of their next 15 matches to go three points clear of second-place Bayern Munich heading into the last day of the season.
All they needed to clinch their first-ever title was a draw away to Unterhaching, who effectively had nothing left to play for.
But Leverkusen bottled it. Star midfielder Michael Ballack scored an own-goal in the 20th minute and were caught on the counterattack as they lost, 2-0. Meanwhile, Bayern took care of business and won 3-1 at Werder Bremen to steal the title from under Leverkusen’s nose on goal difference.
4. 2018-19 – Bayern chase down rivals Dortmund
Despite being the most famous rivalry in German football, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund have not had many memorable title battles.
Perhaps their most competitive championship fight came to date in the 2018-19 season. A young Dortmund side led by the phenomenal Jadon Sancho took the league by storm and were on top for most of the season as Bayern struggled for the first half of the campaign under new manager Niko Kovac.
However, Dortmund began to falter coming out of the winter break. Meanwhile, Bayern finally found their footing and began winning almost every game.
BVB were still on top ahead of Der Klassiker at Bayern on Matchday 28, but they surrendered the lead as Bayern blew them out of the water, 5-0. Dortmund’s title dreams were dashed.
Despite dropping five more points, Dortmund still had a chance to steal the title on the final day of the season. But Bayern beat Eintracht Frankfurt to win their 28th Bundesliga title.
3. 2001-02 – Dortmund edge out three-horse race
Prior to 2018-19, Dortmund and Bayern also contested a very tight three-horse title race in 2001-02 along with Bayer Leverkusen.
Leverkusen, who were on course for a historic treble, saw those dreams take a major blow on the second-to-last game of the season. They lost 1-0 loss to Nurnberg, which knocked them off the top of the table.
Dortmund were now one point ahead of Leverkusen and two up on Bayern heading into the final game of the season. But after both Leverkusen and Bayern won their last matches, it was up to Dortmund to come through.
Dortmund had a history of winning the league in the final game of the season as they claimed their first Bundesliga crown in 1994-95 in thrilling fashion. It didn’t look as if history would repeat itself, though, as they went behind early to Werder Bremen.
But after Jan Koller equalised, Ewerthon came through with the winner 16 minutes from time to deliver a dramatic title triumph.
2. 1983-84 – Stuttgart come out on top in epic three-way tie
When it comes to title races, they don’t get much tighter than in 1983-84, which saw the top five clubs separated by a mere three points and the top three all finish tied at 48 points.
Reigning Bundesliga and European champions Hamburg had a golden opportunity to pull ahead of the pack on the penultimate round of the season. However, they suffered a shock 2-0 defeat to lowly Eintracht Frankfurt, which meant that Stuttgart were now top on goal difference.
Stuttgart then defeated Werder Bremen in their last match of the season to go two points clear of Hamburg and Borussia Monchengladbach.
Hamburg and Gladbach would both win their final matches to pull level with Stuttgart, but the Swabians claimed the tightest title chase in German history thanks to a superior goal difference.
1. 1991-92 – Stuttgart claim title with late goal
Shockingly, Stuttgart would win the Bundesliga on goal difference after another tight three-way battle just eight years later.
The 1992 Bundesliga title was Eintracht Frankfurt’s to lose. They were in a three-way tie along with Borussia Dortmund and Stuttgart heading into the final game of the season. However, they had the superior goal difference and a relatively easy final fixture — away to second-bottom Hansa Rostock.
But Frankfurt failed to get that win as an 89th-minute Rostock winner opened the door for both Dortmund and Stuttgart to snatch the title.
Dortmund were leading their match, and with Stuttgart drawing with Leverkusen, BVB looked on course for their first Bundesliga crown.
Four minutes from time, though, Guido Buchwald headed home the golden goal for Stuttgart, who won the title on goal difference yet again.
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