Intruders shake up German Bundesliga

For many German Bundesliga table appears to be a fake. Up to six of the top eight clubs of the 20th round of matches this weekend are regarded a surprise or seen as intruders by established clubs. This has led to a variety of reactions, some of which give cause for concern.

Not many of the country's fans would have expected newcomers RB Leipzig to be sitting comfortably in second seven points ahead of third-placed Eintracht Frankfurt. TSG Hoffenheim (fifth), Hertha BSC (sixth) plus FC Cologne and promoted SC Freiburg in seventh and eighth rounds up what Bayern Munich defender Mats Hummels called "totally unexpected" and the proof "that smaller clubs have caught up when it comes to tactics and organization". This, as Hummels said, is making it more and more difficult for established clubs to be successful.

Meanwhile long-standing clubs like Borussia Dortmund (fourth), Bayer Leverkusen (ninth), Borussia Moenchengladbach (eleventh), FC Schalke (12th) and VfL Wolfsburg (14th) are currently fearing they will lose ground by not qualifying for an international competition. Not being in a European competition would mean a loss of income and perhaps the inability to pay for their expensive squads. Former top-dogs of German football like Hamburger SV and Werder Bremen even fear being relegated.

While Frankfurt, Hoffenheim, Freiburg and Cologne are seen as "products of good coaching" and careful "squad building" by their coaches Nico Kovac (Frankfurt/a former Bayern Munich pro), Julian Nagelsmann (Hoffenheim/the youngest Bundesliga coach), Christian Streich (Freiburg) and Peter Stoeger (Cologne), Leipzig is seen as the new major force and far from being a one-season-wonder.

None of the upstarts has been attacked by fans and the club establishment quite like the way Leipzig has. The club from eastern German has been under fire for as far back as last season when the club was all-conquering in the second division. Fans, players and team bus had to go through all sorts of attacks, some physical.

Now a new dimension seemed to be reached as club officials like Bayern Munich's president Uli Hoeness and Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke are now accused to pouring oil onto the fire and inciting fan violence against Leipzig, as Hoeness saying "I' a glad we've got a serious rival we can fight against" and Watzke as "Looking at 'Grasroot-Ballsport Leipzig', as they are officially named, we first of all have something that has not grown naturally over the course of time. They only play football in order to promote a can of drink." Leipzig's sponsor and club owner is the energy drink manufacturer "Red Bull". Fans dislike RB due to their quick rise to the top after being formed in 2009 and to them having no tradition. Like Leverkusen (Bayer - chemical company), Wolfsburg (Volkswagen - car maker) and Hoffenheim (SAP co-founder Hopp), Leipzig is accused of undermining the "50+1" rule which stops clubs being run by a single rich investor. Club members must have a controlling share.

Last August, second division Dynamo Dresden was fined 40,000 Euros and the club's fans were temporarily banned from the stadium after one of them threw a severed bull's head onto the pitch. Leipzig's team bus was also attacked by fans in Cologne and Leverkusen and has since been protected by special police units.

It all climaxed before and after the Leipzig's league match in Dortmund when the away fans were pelted with stones by home fans causing injuries also to women and children. In the stadium itself, there were many banners with derogatory comments like "slaughter the bulls" and "hang yourselves". Borussia Dortmund is now facing a severe fine and their famous 25,000 capacity South Stand will remain empty for one games.

Both clubs published a statement expressing mutual respect and condemning the violence. Thousands of Dortmund fans apologized in the next match by displaying a banner regretting want happened. Club captain Marcel Schmelzer called for an end to the unruly behavior in a video message.

While many fans acknowledged Leipzig's efforts to produce home-grown talent and playing the youngest team in the Bundesliga, the so-called "Ultras" will be hard to convince that it is time to stop the hate of the league newcomers. Their fan problem means Dortmund will also face an image-problem on the international stage.

Attacks on clubs that are accused of having not enough tradition, as some fans see it, are not new in German football. In the 2008/2009 season promoted TSG Hoffenheim were subjected to hate attacks as the club is supported by billionaire Dietmar Hopp who is said to have invested up to 300 million euros in the past. Now Hoffenheim has been replaced by Leipzig as the public enemy No. 1.

German club officials now have been urged by Hamburg's CEO Heribert Bruchhagen to consider their comments very carefully. "We all have to learn from the situation and be careful in what we say. I was surprised by the reaction that such comments can cause. It's something we can't tolerate and we can't go on like this," Bruchhagen said. Endit