Monday, January 30, 2012

Bundesliga race on knife's edge as the 'fantastic four' all win

Bayern Munich scraped past Wolfsburg, Borussia Dortmund dismantled Hoffenheim, Schalke recovered to defeat Cologne, and Borussia Mönchengladbach beat Stuttgart. Just one point separates the Bundesliga's runaway quartet.

Many would have predicted a two-horse race for the Bundesliga title this season, with champions Borussia Dortmund and perennial contenders Bayern Munich expected to duke it out at the top of the table. But, 19 match days into the season, two interlopers have established themselves in the title hunt. Schalke's mixture of youth and experience has begun to blossom after a tricky campaign last season, while Borussia Mönchengladbach continue to confound the form book, despite dodging relegation by the skin of their teeth last time out.

All four of the championship hopefuls picked up three points over the weekend, meaning that Bayern, Dortmund and Schalke are all locked together on 40 points at the top, with Gladbach nipping at their heels on 39.

 Dortmund will take the plaudits for playing like champions, dominating proceedings in front of over 80,000 fans against visitors Hoffenheim. The game ended 3-1, despite the absence of Mario Götze, but if anything, that's flattering to the losers, who might have conceded several more.-http://www.dw-world.de

 

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