Desperately wanted: A German rival for Pep's Bayern

The game was meant to be the German "classico" and it maybe is to some extent. However in contrast to the intentions of the Bundesliga's marketing experts, other questions are ruling the headlines in advance of Bayern Munich's duel against Borussia Dortmund this Sunday (17:30 CET).

"Sport-Bild", the sports magazine, audaciously asked: "Will Bayern to all intents and purposes clinch the 2015/2016 championship next Sunday?" The Berlin-based newspaper "Die Welt" urged Dortmund to make sure interest in the league season isn't killed off over the weekend: "Dear BVB, please keep the race open". Other magazines and newspapers are doubting the competiveness of the other 17 clubs in the top division in Germany - the reigning world champions. The question has to be asked, is the Bundesliga the most boring league of Europe's top three?

Of course, Pep Guardiola's team won't win the title after the eight match of the season, but German football fans a winter of boredom. When - as expected - Bayern wins its home game, they will go seven points clear of Dortmund, who, is regarded to be the only club capable of seriously challenging the defending champions - especially after the Bavarian club recently thrashed last year's runner-up VfL Wolfsburg 5-1. Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Moenchengladbach and Wolfsburg are involved in the Champions League but are far from strong enough to pose a threat to Munich over the full course of the 34-match season.

So is the Bundesliga boring? The Spanish Primera Division at least had two different champions in the last three years (twice Barcelona 2 and 15 points ahead, once Atletico Madrid/3) and English Premier League fans were happy about the competitiveness that has lead to three different champions from 2013 to 2015 - Manchester United/11, Manchester City/2 and Chelsea/8.

In Germany, Bayern has dominated the last three years (25/19/10 points ahead when winning the league after the match 28, 27 and 30) and plans to be the first club to win the German title four years in succession.

"That's what we work for every single day," says Matthias Sammers. The Director of Football wants to leave nothing to chance. At Bayern's training ground on the Saebener Strasse in Munich, Sammer has ordered three gigantic photos of the last three title-winning years to be put up. He has also created the motto for this year's campaign: "Champions4ever". To all others this must sound like bad news indeed.

So in advance of the game, the millions that will be and most of the coaches of the other Bundesliga clubs will be rooting for Dortmund to beat Bayern and keep the championship race alive.

Some see only sarcasm as a way of coming to terms with Bayern's dominance. Eintracht Frankfurt's coach Armin Veh for example predicts Bayern to wrap up the championship in as early as February (the season ends in May). And Bayern defender and 2014 world champion Jerome Boateng says: "We know they all want us to lose."

Amazingly none of Bayern's rivals seem willing to take on the role as their main challengers. "It wo't be us," said Dortmund's CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke. "Our goals are clear: We want to get back into the Champions League. That's all." Wolfsburg's General Manager, Klaus Allofs rejects the idea that they will be leading the chase. Additionally neither Schalke 04 nor Bayer Leverkusen are able to take over. "Looking at Bayern's current form and their results, the destination of the title is almost a foregone conclusion," said Allofs.

But maybe things aren't all gloom - at least there is a thrilling game in store for Sunday. Looking at Borussia Dortmund last seven games in Munich, there could be reason for a spot of optimism. Dortmund has only lost two of the seven games (four victories, one draw). So hopes are grow that it won's be all one way traffic in Germany's top league from Sunday onwards. In addition, Watzke (Dortmund), Allofs (Wolfsburg) and Schalke manager Horst Heldt are sure Bayern can be beaten at least once.

2012 was the last year when Dortmund was able to humble Bayern when winning the league and cup double with a 5-2 victory in the final against Munich. At the time it was Bayern's fifth consecutive defeat against their rivals - one that caused a fundamental reaction within the Bavarian club as it started to improve it's squad and provoked them to seek - and obtain - Pep Guardiola's services. Then in the 2012/2013 Champions League final Bayern beat Dortmund by 2-1 and since then no other German club has managed to trouble Bayern in any serious way.

Boring 2015/2016 Bundesliga or not: What is for certain is the Bayern vs Dortmund this Sunday will be watched throughout Germany and the world by millions of football fans. Perhaps the title race will still be on afterwards like the one for the top goal-scorer where Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski (10 goals) is narrowly ahead of Borussia Dortmund's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on 9. For now that has to be enough excitement. Endi