Image: dpa (GEPA pictures)
Dortmund have the better starting position and can make everything clear with a win. But Bayern, two points behind, have proven time and time again that they can be there in the last lap when it counts.
1977/78: Rhenish goal spectacle for the championship
45 years ago there was a Rhenish long-distance duel between 1. FC Köln and Borussia Mönchengladbach. The two rivals went into the last match day with the same number of points, but Cologne had the better goal difference by ten goals. Borussia tried everything to overtake FC. Gladbach won 12-0 against Dortmund – the highest Bundesliga win to date. But that wasn’t enough as Cologne defeated FC St. Pauli 5-0.
1985/86: Bayern’s race to catch up against Werder
In the history of the Bundesliga, FC Bayern and SV Werder Bremen have often fought a thrilling duel for the championship. But it was rarely as exciting as 1986. On the penultimate day Werder missed the chance to win the title prematurely in a direct duel, which was mainly due to the fact that Bremen’s Michael Kutzop only hit the post with a penalty in the final phase and the score remained 0-0. In the season finale, Werder made a mistake at VfB Stuttgart (1-2), while Bayern beat Gladbach (6-0) and won the championship.
1991/92: A three-way battle for the title
In the 1991/92 season, three teams even had realistic chances of winning the title before the last matchday. Eintracht Frankfurt, Stuttgart and Dortmund were equal on points, with the Hessians going into the season finale with the best goal difference and the black and yellow with the worst goal difference. Since Eintracht lost 2-1 at Hansa Rostock, VfB secured the title with a 2-1 win over Bayer 04 Leverkusen.
1994/95: Munich makes BVB champions
In 1995, BVB had Bayern to thank for the championship. The Munich side, without a chance of winning the title themselves, defeated the previous leaders from Bremen 3-1 on the last day of the game – and made Dortmund champions. BVB did its homework in the 2-0 win against Hamburger SV.
1999/2000: Leverkusen becomes “Vizekusen”
The name “Vizekusen” started with the 2000 season finale. A point on the last matchday at SpVgg Unterhaching would have been enough for Leverkusen to win their first German championship. But an own goal by Michael Ballack started the 0:2 defeat. The people of Unterhaching provided Bavarian support: the beneficiary was FC Bayern, who beat Bremen 3-1 a few kilometers away and still triumphed.
2000/01: Schalke as “masters of hearts”, Bayern as champions
Probably the most dramatic and memorable season finale came a year later. The fans of FC Schalke 04 were already hugging after a 5:3 win over Unterhaching in their home Parkstadion when Bayern were 0:1 down at Hamburger SV in injury time and thus apparently lost the championship. But then came Munich’s Patrik Andersson, who equalized with an indirect free kick and snatched the cup from the Royal Blues at the last moment. A shock for Schalke, in the end they only had the title “Master of Hearts”.
2018/19: Bayern can withstand BVB pressure
The championship fight four years ago wasn’t nearly as dramatic, but it was still the closest decision in the recent past. Bayern defended their two-point lead over Dortmund with a 5-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt on the final day of the game. BVB’s 2-0 win in Mönchengladbach was worthless.
Source: Nachrichten
