Football fans may look at the Bundesliga standings after 11 rounds with astonishment. Tiny capital club Union Berlin lead the league over the almighty Bayern Munich. Surely, the former East German team cannot win the Bundesliga, can they?
Union Berlin have been brilliant this season with 23 points picked up from 11 fixtures. The Irons lead Bayern by one point ahead of round 12.
A shot borne of the anger at returning to Bochum to see a penalty saved, and of the pain at losing as the clock ticked over. It would've been easy to snap at it, eyes closed, head back. Milos, that you didn't speaks only in your favour. It was a brutal, beautiful finish. Eisern! pic.twitter.com/PVJbBffvoQ— 1. FC Union Berlin (@fcunion_en) October 25, 2022
A shot borne of the anger at returning to Bochum to see a penalty saved, and of the pain at losing as the clock ticked over. It would've been easy to snap at it, eyes closed, head back. Milos, that you didn't speaks only in your favour. It was a brutal, beautiful finish. Eisern! pic.twitter.com/PVJbBffvoQ
However, two losses in Union’s last four games have them fading after setting a tremendous pace at the start of the campaign.
Urs Fischers’ team is not only dealing with raised expectations, but also with European commitments.
The Irons are doing well in the Europa League and it isn’t easy for a small club to fight on two fronts. But Union already have the distinction of drawing 1-1 with Bayern Munich this season.
Julian Nagelsmann’s Bayern doesn’t have Robert Lewandowski to pull them out of trouble. The coach is under fire with some high-ranking Bayern staff claiming Nagelsmann is still too naive to coach at the club’s level.
While Bayern have lost just once this season, a shock 1-0 defeat away to Augsburg, they have drawn four of 11 Bundesliga matches.
The most damaging draw could have been the 2-2 stalemate at Dortmund in which Bayern conceded in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time.
Since the loss to Augsburg on September 17, Nagelsmann has Bayern playing much better with three wins from four Bundesliga matches.
It appears the serial title winners are getting into league winning form. Yet, Union’s great start has other teams thinking the title could be up for grabs.
Borussia Dortmund were the last team other than Bayern to win the Bundesliga in 2011-12. Jurgen Klopp led Dortmund to the title for the second consecutive season before Bayern began their 10-year title reign.
Dortmund aren’t out of the running for this year’s trophy. Despite multiple setbacks, Edin Terzic’s team is just four points off first place.
However, it could be another one of the Bundesliga’s surprise packages that makes a long challenge for the championship. Freiburg are third after 11 games with 21 points, two off first place.
Christian Streich has built on last season’s German Cup runners-up performance. Although Freiburg are trying to manage Europa League commitments with the Bundesliga, they are pushing the Bavarians.
However, Bayern Munich humbled Freiburg 5-0 in mid-October, reminding them that there is a long way to go to being the league champion.
Last season’s Europa League winners Eintracht Frankfurt are also making a claim for the trophy. The Eagles are fourth in the league and three points off first place.
Oliver Glasner’s team will need consistency, something Frankfurt lack, to challenge for the championship. Eintracht Frankfurt are free-scoring, but also concede goals freely.
In addition, Frankfurt are pushing for qualification to the Champions League last 16, which could prevent them from focusing on the Bundesliga title picture.
While the romantic football fan wants Bayern’s 10 years of title terror to end this season, it feels like it is only a matter of time until Die Roten move into first place.
Bayern are the league’s top-scoring team (32 goals) and have the joint-best defensive record (eight goals allowed). The Bundesliga title is simply Bayern’s to lose.