The rise of Bundesliga

last German team to win the Champions League in 2001 and the Bavarians are on course to reach the Wembley final on May 25 after flooring Barcelona 4-0 at Munich’s Allianz Arena in Tuesday’s semi-final, first-leg.

Dortmund, who were European champions in 1997, then posted another advert for the Bundesliga 24 hours later when they hammered Real Madrid 4-1 at Signal Iduna Park as Poland’s Robert Lewandowski scored all four goals.

Germany daily Bild allowed for some gloating under the headline: “Germany 8, Spain 1: Bayern and Dortmund have over run all of Europe!”
While an inquest has begun in Spain as to why Barcelona and Real fared so badly against Bundesliga opposition, Germany is dreaming of “Der Klassiker” should Bayern face Dortmund in the final at London’s Wembley stadium on May 25.

“Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund have handed out first-class business cards for German football,” said German Football Association (DFB) president Wolfgang Niersbach.
“Everyone saw Germany is a top football address in Europe.

“This applies to the Bundesliga, the individual clubs and, of course, the national team.
“We can now dream of an all-German final at Wembley.”

Germany coach Joachim Loew said with 14 of his national players still involved in the competition, including Real’s Mesut Ozil and Sami Khedira, the experience can only help ahead of next year’s World Cup in Brazil.

“It was very impressive how organised and dominant Bayern and Dortmund played,” said Loew, Germany’s coach since 2006.
“The results and margin of victory were richly deserved.

“You have to pay both (Dortmund coach) Jurgen Klopp and (Bayern trainer) Jupp Heynckes a big compliment for preparing their teams.”
Bild also measured the German teams success compared to the failure of the four English Premier League sides, Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City, to make the quarter-finals.

Having last won silverware in May 2010, Bayern have smashed a host of Bundesliga records on their way to winning this season’s league title and the Munich squad show no sign of letting up. —AFP.