As entertaining as the Bundesliga can be, fans have had to accept the monotony at the top of the league, with Bayern Munich having won 10 consecutive championships since 2012. However, 2023 could be the year that Bayern's grip is finally broken.
Matchday 22 will see Bayern meet Union Berlin in the battle of first vs. third. Bayern, Union and Borussia Dortmund are all level on points, with the Bavarians leading only on goal difference. There are also three teams behind the trio who remain within reach and could capitalise on any slip by Bayern.
In short, the battle for the Meisterschale has not been this close in quite some time. Here's where the title contenders stand with 13 rounds of matches remaining.
1. Bayern Munich | 43 points | +40 goal differential
A Bayern side that has experienced quite a few hiccups this season is the major reason for the title fight being as close as it is. At first, the team had to get used to the tactical changes head coach Julian Nagelsmann had planned during the summer, with Bayern deviating from their winger-focused style in favour of a narrower attacking structure. At the same time, the departure of Robert Lewandowski left a void up front that Nagelsmann struggled to fill for quite some time. He tested Sadio Mane in the striker role, but quickly moved the signing from Liverpool to his familiar position on the left wing. Eventually, 33-year-old Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, an unlikely candidate, earned the No. 9 spot in Bayern's lineup.
Several key players have struggled for stretches of the season too, whether due to poor form or injury. Prior to the World Cup, much of the burden in attack was put on Jamal Musiala's shoulders, and the teenager showed on several occasions that he can carry Bayern to wins, but relying predominantly on him is no recipe for steady success.
The inconsistency in Bayern's performance continued following an eventful winter break during which captain Manuel Neuer broke his right leg in a skiing accident and turmoil unfolded at the training ground. Nagelsmann seemed to almost lose control over a locker room filled with large egos. Fittingly, Bayern drew three straight games following the restart of the campaign, and suffered their second loss in the league last Saturday as Borussia Monchengladbach beat them 3-2 -- Dayot Upamecano's red card inside the opening 10 minutes set the tone for a difficult day.
Gathering nine points in six games since the restart has left the door open to five potential challengers for the championship.
2. Borussia Dortmund | 43 points | +17 goal differential
Borussia Dortmund have not been so confident that they could beat Bayern in a while. This season has already thrown some wrenches in the works, most notably Sebastien Haller's testicular cancer diagnosis in July, which sidelined the striker until January. Manager Edin Terzic still found a way to make his attack work, with Dortmund scoring 44 goals in 21 league games despite lacking a dominant No. 9 like Erling Haaland the previous two years.
