Bundesliga return would provide end to most compelling German title race in years

The Bundesliga is hoping to be the first European soccer league to return from hiatus and if they can pull it off the title chase should be thrilling.

Just as the most compelling Bundesliga title race in the best part of a decade was reaching a climax, everything stopped.

Of course, it wasn’t just the German season that was halted, with play across Europe and the world disrupted by the unprecedented coronavirus pandemic, but that fans would have to wait for a conclusion to this particular story was most dispiriting.

We might still get a conclusion, though. Somewhat gingerly and under intense scurrility, the Bundesliga hopes to resume play again in the next two weeks (the previous plan of a May 9 return was pushed back), putting the eyes of the soccer world on Germany as clubs and leagues across the sport ponder whether they might follow their lead in getting their seasons back up and running.

There’s still the possibility that Bayern Munich turn this Bundesliga season into yet another title procession. The firing of Niko Kovac and hiring of Hansi Flick as his first interim and then permanent replacement has had the desired effect, with the Bavarians once again in control at the top of the table.

Flick has found a way to revitalised Bayern Munich’s Old Guard with Thomas Muller the purest embodiment of this. Not so long ago the German international was a peripheral figure at the Allianz Arena, exiled from the first team by Kovac. Now, though, he’s once again a key figure for the Bavarians, emboldened by Flick.

The challengers, however, cannot be discounted just yet. RB Leipzig set the Bundesliga’s early pace with Julian Nagelsmann’s young and exciting side losing just two of their opening 18 fixtures. Timo Werner couldn’t stop scoring, netting nine in his first 10 league games, and a passing of the baton appeared to be happening in front of our eyes.

A run of poor form over early February saw RB Leipzig lose the top spot with Borussia Dortmund performing a turnaround to also leapfrog Nagelsmann’s men. The January arrival of Erling Haaland was the catalyst for that turnaround, with the Norwegian striker hitting the ground running with nine goals in his first eight Bundesliga outings.

It wasn’t so long ago that Lucien Favre looked as good as finished at the Westfalenstadion, and there remains a sense that the Swiss coach will be replaced sooner rather than later, but he has overseen a remarkable reversal in fortunes that has turned Dortmund into Bayern Munich’s primary challengers, as has been their role for years.

Whether or not this season marks a change in the German soccer tide will be decided over the next few weeks, assuming the Bundesliga’s resumption following its multiple-month hiatus goes to plan. All that’s required is a suitably dramatic conclusion to one of the most memorable campaigns for a long time. There are three teams still trying to stick the landing.