When Bayern Munich splurged the biggest ever outgoing transfer fee in German football history to land Harry Kane last summer, it was taken by many to be the final death knell for competitiveness in the Bundesliga.
Bayern had just set the seal on an 11th straight title. The fact Borussia Dortmund had even pushed them close, only being denied by a late Jamal Musiala goal on the last day of the 2022/23 season, was seen as a notable feat for the rest.
The arrival of England’s captain would surely extinguish even vague scares like that for the all-conquering Bavarians.
Well, Kane’s arrival did coincide with a new level of domination in the Bundesliga. But not of the sort everyone was expecting.
Instead, the side with the fourth largest budget in the league and a stadium that is less than half the size of the country’s leading teams enjoyed an unprecedented season of success.
Bayer Leverkusen swept all before them to win their first league title, going undefeated in the process, and added the German Cup to boot.
Did their annus mirabilis save the Bundesliga, which begins again on Saturday, after years of Bayern monopoly?
“If you have 11 years, the same champion, I can speak myself as a fan,” said Fernando Carro, Leverkusen’s chief executive. “If you know who is going to win the league, why follow games?
“At the end of day, OK, it's going to be interesting, who goes down to the second division and who reaches the Champions League. But the most important one is who is the champion.
“We have tried to contribute to a more successful brand by beating Bayern after 11 years. I think it will be important for all the clubs that are part of the league to try to contribute to this excitement in who is going to be champion.”
Carro’s suggestion that years of Bayern domination made the league less interesting seems logical, yet the data does not wholly support the point. After all, crowds have remained healthier there than anywhere else.
In 2023/24, the Bundesliga was the best attended of Europe’s big five leagues, with an average match attendance of just over 39,500.
The English Premier League, by contrast, saw average crowds of 38,557, while even Bundesliga 2’s typical gate of around 28,000 exceeded that of France’s top division.
Peer Naubert, the chief marketing officer of Bundesliga International, thinks football clubs reflect society in Germany.
“What’s the social glue in Germany at the moment?” Naubert said. “The membership of the church is going down, and you see memberships in the political parties going down.
“The only part Germans still heavily associate themselves with is pretty much sport, and especially football.”
In 'Soccernomics', their book dispelling some of the myths of football, Simon Kuper and Stefan Szymanski point out that sides who monopolise success can make leagues more attractive, rather than less.
“Dominant teams create a special interest of their own,” they write. “In the 1990s, millions of people supported Manchester United and millions of others despised them.
“In a way, both groups were following the club. United were the stars of football’s soap opera. Every other team’s fans dreamt of beating them.” For United in England back then, read Bayern in Germany more recently.
The authors also suggested that football inequality of modern times annoys people “not because it is unprecedented, but because it is more driven by money than it used to be”.
'Soccernomics' was written before the huge inflation in revenues in football over the past decade. The resentment to commercialisation of the game in Germany is most real.
In February, the German Football League abandoned plans to negotiate a billion euro investment deal with a private equity partner because of a fan revolt.
Widespread protests, which included supporters throwing tennis balls and other objects onto pitches, caused delays of up to 30 minutes at matches in the country’s top two divisions.
Even without that funding boost, the Bundesliga is second only to the Premier League in total revenue. But the clubs do not have the same spending might as their rivals across the continent’s top divisions.
For example, only two of the 10 largest transfers in Bundesliga history have seen players arriving.
That is the €95m Kane deal, which was the third biggest transfer fee a German club has been involved with, and Lucas Hernandez, the French left-back who cost Bayern €80m from Atletico Madrid in 2019.
Ousmane Dembele’s move from Dortmund to Barcelona in 2017 was the largest, at €135m, followed by Jude Bellingham’s €103m move from that same club to Real Madrid.
By contrast, in Spain, only two of the 10 biggest transfers clubs have been involved in have seen the player exit the country – Neymar from Barcelona to PSG and Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid to Juventus.
In England, four of the top 10 biggest transfers have been sales – Philipp Coutinho from Liverpool to Barcelona, Eden Hazard and Gareth Bale to Real Madrid from Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur respectively, and Kane to Bayern.
Despite all that, German clubs still excel. There were two of them in the semi-final of the Champions League last season, to one each from Spain and France, while Leverkusen made the final of the Europa League.
More than anyone else, Leverkusen show what can be done with some sound management, a can-do attitude, and - in the form of Xabo Alonso - an outstanding manager.
It costs as little as €45 to be a member of Leverkusen. They won the league despite having a stadium with a smaller capacity (around 30,000) than the average attendance figure for the league. The BayArena is less than half the size of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund’s stadiums.
Leverkusen went unbeaten throughout the season. But their budget has remained just the same as it was before last season, so repeating their success is going to be a challenge.
“This challenge is difficult because expectations are very high,” said Simon Rolfes, Leverkusen’s managing director of sport.
“Everybody knows in life that in the past, everything was fantastic. We never made a mistake in the game, and all passes were fantastic. Of course, that is not true, even in the last season.
“To start new, to start from zero, to accept that we make mistakes, that is part of the process of developing a team spirit. The thing is not to compare it with the last match day, or the last period of last season.”
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
The five pillars of Islam
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
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In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
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5 of the most-popular Airbnb locations in Dubai
Bobby Grudziecki, chief operating officer of Frank Porter, identifies the five most popular areas in Dubai for those looking to make the most out of their properties and the rates owners can secure:
• Dubai Marina
The Marina and Jumeirah Beach Residence are popular locations, says Mr Grudziecki, due to their closeness to the beach, restaurants and hotels.
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh482 to Dh739
Two bedroom: Dh627 to Dh960
Three bedroom: Dh721 to Dh1,104
• Downtown
Within walking distance of the Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa and the famous fountains, this location combines business and leisure. “Sure it’s for tourists,” says Mr Grudziecki. “Though Downtown [still caters to business people] because it’s close to Dubai International Financial Centre."
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh497 to Dh772
Two bedroom: Dh646 to Dh1,003
Three bedroom: Dh743 to Dh1,154
• City Walk
The rising star of the Dubai property market, this area is lined with pristine sidewalks, boutiques and cafes and close to the new entertainment venue Coca Cola Arena. “Downtown and Marina are pretty much the same prices,” Mr Grudziecki says, “but City Walk is higher.”
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh524 to Dh809
Two bedroom: Dh682 to Dh1,052
Three bedroom: Dh784 to Dh1,210
• Jumeirah Lake Towers
Dubai Marina’s little brother JLT resides on the other side of Sheikh Zayed road but is still close enough to beachside outlets and attractions. The big selling point for Airbnb renters, however, is that “it’s cheaper than Dubai Marina”, Mr Grudziecki says.
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh422 to Dh629
Two bedroom: Dh549 to Dh818
Three bedroom: Dh631 to Dh941
• Palm Jumeirah
Palm Jumeirah's proximity to luxury resorts is attractive, especially for big families, says Mr Grudziecki, as Airbnb renters can secure competitive rates on one of the world’s most famous tourist destinations.
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh503 to Dh770
Two bedroom: Dh654 to Dh1,002
Three bedroom: Dh752 to Dh1,152
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