We are all used to reading ridiculous transfer rumors that are pedaled by tabloids and journalists looking for eye-grabbing headlines on a slow news day. But lately there seems to be an avalanche of rubbish reporting from several English football outlets. Most recent evidence was an article from The Daily Mail linking Dortmund star Marco Reus with a transfer to Manchester United this January. It isn’t the first time that Reus has been linked with a move to the mid-table English side. The Mail, among several English outlets, have always linked the likes of Reus and the rest of Dortmund’s squad with extremely unlikely moves to Premier League teams. However, the latest article by The Mail reeked of desperation, ignorance, and even some arrogance.

The amusing article, written by John Edwards, claimed that “cracks emerged in Jurgen Klopp’s empire” due to Dortmund being third in the Bundesliga and Klopp’s innocuous jab at a journalist in a post match conference after the 2-2 draw at Hoffenheim. By mentioning that this injury-ridden team was falling out of the title race, Mr. Edwards basically insinuates that a bid this January from David Moyes’ side would be likely in an attempt to activate Reus’ release clause. The irony of this hypothetical situation (or Daily Mail utopia) is that by moving from Dortmund to United, Reus would be leaving ‘Klopp’s cracking Empire’ to the Sir Alex Ferguson-built Empire that is already crashing and burning. Why would Reus jump from the frying pan into the fire by joining the Manchester Side that are currently mired in 8th place? And even so, are Dortmund really in crisis as the author suggests?

In the Champions League, Dortmund have managed to top the group of death and have won their last two crucial fixtures despite the onslaught of injuries they suffered. They have now landed a manageable round of 16 tie against Zenit and will have time for key players to recover from injuries in the month long winter break ahead. And most importantly, it is worth noting that Reus’ release clause can only be activated in 2015. In the upcoming January window and summer transfer window, Dortmund will not be selling Reus to anyone. The other misconception in English circles is that Dortmund need money from transfers. Dortmund earned record profits from their European exploits last season and are in great financial shape. The Germans were even willing to shell out as much as 35 million for Henrikh Mkhitaryan to replace Mario Gotze in the previous window. But of course, all these facts do not fit in with the agenda of certain sections of the English media.

The Daily Mail is not the only English outlet coming up with such atrocious pieces of journalism regarding such improbable transfers. An article by English football website Hereisthecity has linked Dortmund player Marcel Schmelzer with a move to United this winter. The site, although relatively obscure compared to the bigger English outlets, comes up with a truly laughable rumor; a claim that Dortmund were chasing Fenerbache left back Michal Kadlec, a Bayer Leverkusen reject, thus opening up a possible move for Schmelzer to United in order to replace Patrice Evra in this January window. The sheer ludicrousness of this rumor, amongst countless other examples on such English sites regarding non EPL-players, exposes a certain level of ignorance as well as arrogance.

The Premier League is often touted to be the best league in the world by the English media, and the success of the Premiership’s global marketing and worldwide reach may reinforce that highly questionable view among many. It is therefore natural, of course, for a few individuals involved in these English media outlets to think that every player in the world wants to play in their league. However, in reality, a vast majority of the best players in the game play outside England. Messi, Ronaldo, Ribery, Neymar, Falcao, Gotze, Lewandowski, Ibrahimovic and countless others do not ply their trade in the Premier League. Marco Reus looks set to remain in that bracket for the foreseeable future.

The Dortmund star has never had any intention of leaving Dortmund, and Dortmund have no desire to sell. And as stated earlier, the German’s release clause does not come into effect until 2015. A few English football fans and journalists will simply have to accept the fact that some top class players simply won’t be coming to the Premier League, and that a top European side like Dortmund is not a feeder club for arguably inferior teams in England. Until then, we will be subjected to a perpetual onslaught of tedious, repetitive and lazy journalism that is based on nothing but pure speculation and delusions of the Premier League’s grandeur.

We are still over a month away from the winter transfer window but the English media have wasted no time in pedaling the same rumors every time an international break arrives. Their creating rumors linking half of Dortmund’s squad with moves to Premier League sides is a phenomenon that it nothing new, but the latest rumor of a Reus-Kagawa swap deal this winter doing the rounds is entirely baseless.

Facts and knowledge are always helpful in pouring cold water over such gossip. Marco Reus’ buy-out clause can only be activated in 2015. Borussia Dortmund cannot be forced into making any sales akin to the Gotze transfer to Bayern where they had no say in the matter. Dortmund won’t be selling their best players to any other club in the middle of the season, let alone anytime soon before the end of their contracts expires. If Reus ever chooses to leave, it can only happen after 2015. However, English papers such as The Daily Mail have gone as far as to claim that a swap deal involving both Reus and Gundogan in exchange for Shinji Kagawa is on, and that’s just the latest laughable piece of gossip to come out of England.

Marco Reus’ contract runs out in 2017. Money clearly isn’t the motivating factor for Marco as the player chose Dortmund over Bayern Munich in early 2012 when he chose to leave Gladbach. Reus has expressed his satisfaction for playing for his boyhood club where he was once a youth player. A renewal of his contract will finally end the repetitive gossip regarding Reus that seems to rear its ugly head every time an international break comes around the corner.

Editor’s note: For the latest BVB news, analysis and opinion, visit our Borussia Dortmund team page.

The only realistic Dortmund target for clubs in Spain and England might be Ilkay Gundogan. The central midfield player has yet to sign any contract extension and his current deal expires in 2015. Real Madrid and Manchester United may be tempted to put in bids next summer in order to test Dortmund’s resolve. Gundogan does not have a release clause like Reus (the only BVB player with such a clause), but with his contract running out in a little over a year, will the Ruhr side be tempted to sell for around 30 million euros?

Dortmund are clearly in a very healthy financial state as they raked in record profits last season. Their refusal to sell Lewandowski and to make him see out the remainder of his contract showed that Dortmund do not necessarily need money from player sales any time soon. But can they afford to do the same with Gundogan? Or will they not mind selling a player who won’t extend to a non-German rival and find a replacement that is more eager to play for the yellow shirt? Gundogan is one of the best central midfielders in Germany and a bid for the young star next summer may well be worth discussing. However, even that could well be futile. Gundogan’s father Irfan came out today saying that contract talks have been put on hold due to his Ilkay’s current injury layoff, and that there is a chance of the player renewing his contract at Dortmund once he is fit.

A pair of contract extensions could finally silence the onslaught of grating rumors regarding BVB players and the English media and fans alike may finally look elsewhere to base their gossip. However until then, while a move for Reus is not worth contemplating, a move for Gundogan next summer is definitely plausible.

Wednesday’s 1-0 victory against Borussia Dortmund was the second time Arsenal have won on German soil this year. Fans and media alike have wasted no time in indulging in some jingoistic chest thumping. The commentators shrieked in delight as the final whistle blew at the Signal Iduna Park. From the ensuing sycophancy and string of positive results, one may immediately get the impression that Arsenal have finally arrived and are now set to win some silverware this season, with some even going so far as to give the title of ‘best player in Europe’ to Aaron Ramsey.

While Arsenal are genuine contenders for the Premier League title this season and even look to be the best team in England by some distance, are they ahead of the likes of European teams such as Dortmund as well? While Arsenal’s defensive performance in Signal Iduna Park, which gifted them 3 points, deserves praise, a closer examination of both games against Dortmund tells a different story as to who were the better side overall.

In the first game at the Emirates, Dortmund produced a textbook away performance with what was a bit of a smash and grab 2-1 victory as the stats revealed that Arsenal and Dortmund were fairly even. Arsenal had 9 shots on target, while Dortmund had 8. The return game, on the other hand, at first almost seemed like a complete reversal, as it was once again the visitors that took the spoils in a similar smash and grab fashion despite being subdued for certain periods. However this time out, the home side completely dominated the visitors. Dortmund had an astonishing 15 shots on goal while Arsenal could only muster 4. Despite the recent plaudits and jubilation surrounding Arsenal’s exploits last night, Borussia Dortmund were arguably the better side when taking both games and statistics into account.

The game was replete with squandered chances for Dortmund that went begging while the Gunners looked vulnerable. Dortmund also came up with two away goals and if the two matches were to be a knock out tie, the yellow-blacks would have been the team that progressed. Although the latter statement may not be too much to read into, the fact is that Dortmund came off as the better side over the two encounters. The truth, however, is likely to be overlooked by the latest hype surrounding last night’s result in the context of the rise of this current Arsenal side. Lofty expectations for the Gunners are justifiable at least domestically, but not in Europe.

Arsenal may be sure favorites for the Premier League title, but this should not be confused with them being outright favorites for the Champions League crown as well. Prior to the victory last night, the latter idea has largely been driven by Arsenal’s meaningless win over Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena last season, which was nearly celebrated as a trophy by the Arsenal faithful. The one off result where Bayern fielded a weakened side was even less meaningful than Arsenal’s defeats to Blackburn and Bradford last season.

While Chelsea, United and City are in a period of transition under new managers, Arsenal look to be the strongest in England. However, making them out to be better than the top European sides is something that is highly questionable.

Editor’s note: For more news, opinion and analysis about BVB, visit our Borussia Dortmund team page.

The latest rumor regarding Bayern Munich circling in the British press was that Pep Guardiola fancies Sergio Aguero as a transfer target for next season. Such rumors shall always be taken with skepticism, due to the fact that ridiculous rumors are always circulated on a regular basis. Such laughable rumors include the continual links of Robert Lewandowski with a move to the Premier League when, in reality, his imminent move to Bayern Munich next summer is all but confirmed. Nevertheless, the latest transfer rumor regarding Sergio Aguero deserves some thought and seems like a natural move for both player and club.

Aguero is a technically gifted player, the type of striker who thrives off of the link-up play with his teammates. He is also a world class finisher and is the complete package of a striker that would suit the system Pep Guardiola currently employs at Bayern. Many predicted that Pep would never use a pure striker in his system based on his tactics at Barcelona. However, in Munich he has changed his approach and has settled with using Mario Mandzukic, a pure striker, as the established target man. Mandzukic is the epitome of a true number nine. The striker possesses a powerful header, is a very hard worker and links up well with teammates. However his finishing qualities are slightly short of world class. The addition of Aguero to the side ensures that Bayern have a striker who can dribble and thrust forward during attacks and add a touch of world class finishing that Mandzukic does not quite have.

Leaving Manchester City for Bayern Munich is a move that makes total sense for the player. Sergio is at a stage in his career where wages may not be the main motivation and honors remain a primary objective. He has already won the Premier League title, but does he stand a realistic chance of winning the Champions League with Manchester City? Given the recent inconsistency of City, in addition to the fact that the club lacks any sort of clear footballing philosophy and a manager who is not of proven caliber in terms of winning the UEFA Champions League, the answer is that it is unlikely.

A move to Bayern Munich would enable him to join the current champions of Europe who play a standard of football that is arguably beyond any Premier League side at the moment. The manner in which Bayern so thoroughly outclassed City on their own turf indicates where the two clubs stand and only one team is clearly a better option for the player. Although it was only a single game of football, it was no ordinary game as the level at which Bayern Munich operated was clear for all to see. The German side produced a display that is never quite seen in the Premier League. By joining the Bavarians, Aguero attains a genuine chance of winning the Champions League with a squad that is on the ascendancy under one of the best coaches in Europe. In contrast, Manchester City have consistently underachieved in Europe and, although they will in all likelihood for the first time qualify from the round of 16 this season, a genuine shot at the title is improbable. The Munich side, however, are now outright favorites for the title every year. Aguero will finally have a genuine shot at Europe’s most coveted prize if this move ever becomes a reality.

Aguero’s contract runs out in 2017 so understandably the Citizens are under no pressure to sell whatsoever, and clearly do not need money from transfers. However, if the player realizes that a better alternative than playing for City is presented to him, he must grab it. In reality the transfer is unlikely due to the eventual arrival of Robert Lewandowski to Bayern Munich. However, if for some amazing development that sees the transfer of the Pole fall through, Sergio would be a terrific alternative for the Bavarians.

Crushed. Obliterated. Decimated. There were so many superlatives that came to mind as Sheikh Mansour’s millions of petrodollars seemed to evaporate in front of his very eyes Wednesday night on the home field of Etihad Stadium.

On the pitch, his expensive assortment of foreign players crumbled right in front of the Manchester City supporters. Bayern schooled the Citizens in emphatic fashion. City’s expensively assembled squad were left chasing shadows as die Roten ran circles and reduced City’s midfield to pieces with their vicious off-the-ball pressing game high up the pitch. For 80 minutes, the Bavarians played what was a near perfect display of total football. A philosophy of flawless ball retention combined with a ferocious pressing game triumphed over what was nothing more than a rather static assembly of stars signed by City’s Abu Dhabi benefactors. Bayern’s triumph showcased the victory of club ethos over extravagance. The game was a victory not just for Bayern but one for the football purists as well.

But on second thought, are Bayern really a team for the purists? A few Bayern detractors and casual observers of the game oppose this view. Many believe that the Bavarians hold some sort of a monopoly over the Bundesliga; the Big Bad Bayern who are able to sign any player from their nearest domestic rivals at their will. This illusion was largely created by the intense English media scrutiny surrounding Mario Gotze’s controversial transfer to Bayern Munich and the eventual transfer of Robert Lewandowski to the Allianz in 2014.

While the non-German audience may buy into this tripe, a keen observer of German football will tell you that, aside from these two transfers that were largely induced by the arrival of highly-rated Pep Guardiola himself, Bayern have often struggled to get players from their domestic rivals. In 2011 Bayern had a verbal agreement with midfield star Arturo Vidal, but Leverkusen refused to sell. Die Workself rejected Bayern’s lucrative offer and instead accepted a lower offer from Juventus. Bayern also failed in their attempts to sign Lars Bender and Marco Reus. Leverkusen resolutely refused any advances from Bayern over Bender while Reus snubbed Bayern and opted to sign for Dortmund instead. Dortmund themselves have signed their fare share of players from fellow domestic sides while Wolfsburg, Frankfurt, Bremen and Gladbach’s successful transfer raids collectively decimated Freiburg’s team that finished in a Europa League spot last season. Teams signing players from weaker teams in the Bundesliga, as in any other league, is nothing new and is not exclusive to the Bavarians.

Bayern’s victory over City was without doubt a win for the purists. The very best teams in Europe, the legendary teams, tend to have at least 3 or 4 world class home grown players. Bayern Munich have had their fair share of spending in recent years. But the key contrast to City’s spending is that it is far lesser and that there is an ultimate emphasis on relying primarily on their own youth system. Despite boasting foreign superstars such as Ribery and Robben, the core of Bayern’s team consists of Bayern’s very own youth products in the form of Toni Kroos, Thomas Muller, Schweinsteiger, Philip Lahm, David Alaba and Holger Badstuber. Bayern possess a strong identity and ethos to their side and style of play. Their possession oriented philosophy was what attracted Guardiola to Bayern in the first place. Similarly, Barcelona, despite spending when necessary on world class talent like Neymar, rely heavily on their own homegrown La Masia products.

The nouveau riche English side, in contrast, are hardly cut from the same cloth. With Joe Hart in goal and James Milner on the bench, the team on the pitch seems to be nothing more than a random assortment of expensive foreigners. There is no real ethos, no particular football philosophy. What makes matters worse is that the team is artificially propped up by the backing of the Abu Dhabi Group. The club simply lacks an identity.

Detractors of Financial Fair Play wrongly claim that stringent financial rules, advocated by clubs like Bayern, prevent other sides of mediocre stature like City from ever joining the elite due to the prevention of sugar daddies pumping cash into clubs that never earned it. These same critics seem to forget that Bayern Munich themselves started off as a small club that played under strict financial rules created in Germany since the inception of the Bundesliga. The club rose to be the stable giant that it is today due to the flawless manner in which it was structured, shrewd management and emphasis on youth development. Every Euro that the Bavarians spent on a big money transfer today is their own hard-earned cash. Borussia Dortmund now follow the same path. The team that has fought back from being on the verge of bankruptcy and mid-table obscurity are now embarking on a meteoric rise into the upper echelons of European football. They continue to make new and better signings despite the odd sale of a player. As a result, both Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund remain top sides and also retain their identity instead of resorting to becoming a billionaire’s plaything in order to compete at the highest level.

The 3-1 scoreline on Wednesday night flattered City. The manner in which that they were so thoroughly outclassed on the pitch made it extremely satisfying for football purists around the world. Manchester City’s owners might be tempted to pump in another billion to compete with the likes of Bayern and hopefully hit the European jackpot sometime within the next decade. But for now, football romantics can rejoice.

Bayern Munich and Manchester City are two clubs that could hardly be more distinct from one another. Bayern’s rise as a European giant with a tradition steeped in history after generations of hard work, success and self ownership that led to the identity they possess today is a sharp contrast in comparison to the drastic and artificially-induced rise of nouveau riche Manchester City.

The current English giants were a largely inconspicuous outfit prior to the Arab takeover in 2008. The Manchester side spent time in the second and even third tiers of English football as recently as the 90s before eventually regaining their Premier League status in 2000. After a decade of bottom-table obscurity, Manchester City were finally blessed as the Abu Dhabi United Group took over the club in 2008. The takeover could not have come at a better time as The Citizens were in a financially precarious position under previous owner Thaksin Shinawatra whose assets were frozen as a result of his unfavorable political circumstances. The massive injection of outside cash by the mighty Sheikh took the lowly Manchester outfit to dizzying heights as four years of heavy splurging finally culminated in a thrilling Premier League title win at the end of the 2011-12 season. It was an overnight rags to riches story for the Citizens as their new Arab owners had successfully bought them their first ever Premier League title since 1968. Despite this thrilling rise of City, there seems to be a certain lack of authenticity about the club that so willingly sold its soul for riches.

Bayern, on the other hand, possess a strong identity due to its vast history replete with famous victories, honors and regional roots. Nestled in the heart of Bavaria in Munich, Bayern first experienced their first golden years from 1965 to 1979. It was within this period where the legendary trio of Sepp Maier, Gerd Muller and Franz Beckenbauer arrived on the scene and formed ‘the Axis’. The Bavarians went on to create history by winning three Champions League titles in a row and also many other trophies. The golden era of the 70s was followed by the ‘Breitnigge era’ as current board chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Paul Breitner lead Bayern to several more successes in the eighties. For all their past successes, Bayern most recently added to their illustrious history by becoming the first ever German team to win the treble. The feat was an astounding achievement and with the arrival of Pep Guardiola, Bayern seek to cement their spot as the best football club in Europe. What makes Bayern’s successes over the years all the more impressive is the fact that they have managed to grow into a European giant despite the stringent financial rules of the Bundesliga.

The 50+1 rule in Germany prevents foreign owners having more than a 50% stake in a club, and therefore vastly curbs the spending power of clubs due to the prevention of any takeovers. While the rule may seem to be a setback, it enabled clubs to grow organically due to the necessity of shrewd and sound financial management and reliance on youth development. Bayern were able to maximize their potential as they managed to retain their players and place them within the hierarchy of the club after retirement. The creation of this ‘family’ structure at Bayern has greatly contributed to the success today. Current Chairman Rummenigge and President Uli Hoeness were former Bayern players while other Bayern legends such as Beckenbauer, Gerd Muller and Maier were all involved as coaches and possess a place in the Bayern family until this day. Bayern’s efficient model saw them become financially successful and self-sufficient without any foreign benefactor unlike the fortuitous path enjoyed by Manchester City.

Another consequence of Bayern’s structure is the reliance on homegrown talent. Bayern boast their own fair share of foreign stars but also contain the core of the German national team. Schweinsteiger, Lahm, Thomas Muller, Toni Kroos and Holger Badstuber are all products of Bayern’s youth system. Aside from Kroos, the aforementioned players are Bavarian as well. As a result the first team squad retains not only a significant German presence but also has a strong local feel. Manchester City, in contrast, are hardly similar. Manuel Pellegrini’s starting lineup against Manchester United last week had only one English player on the pitch in the form of keeper Joe Hart. Aside from the fact that Manchester City are from Manchester, there was hardly anything even remotely English about the English side that so emphatically rolled over Manchester United last week. With the occurrence of such patterns in England’s top flight, the Three Lion’s struggles against the likes of Ukraine and Montenegro in the international arena hardly come as a surprise.

While the path of the English game looks rather grave, the same cannot be said for Manchester City. Despite winning the Premier League title in 2012, a season of relative mediocrity and defensiveness under Mancini saw him getting sacked in order to make way for the more attack-minded Manuel Pellegrini. Under ‘The Engineer,’ Manchester City finally have their squad playing closer to their potential as their collection of expensive foreigners that dominated Manchester United in an emphatic 4-1 victory that was well worth the amount of their collective price tags. Despite slip ups against Cardiff and Aston Villa, this City side seem to have a penchant for raising their game at home and especially against top quality sides. While Bayern finally show signs of clicking under Guardiola, it remains to be seen whether the skilled yet tiny captain Phillip Lahm, a full back by trade, can maintain his fine performances so far in the unfamiliar role of defensive midfielder against the likes of Yaya Toure and Fernandinho.

A tantalizing clash awaits audiences across Europe on Wednesday evening. A club that has worked over decades to gain its reputation, create history and earn its fortunes square up against a rather ordinary entity that has enjoyed the great luck of inheriting its wealth and subsequent path to fame under hilariously fortuitous circumstances. The Steve Jobs and Paris Hilton of football are set to face off. Both have their fare share of riches. Both have their legions of fans. But the purists and football romantics will be hoping for only one winner on Wednesday night.

Editor’s note: For viewers in the United States, the UEFA Champions League match between Manchester City and Bayern Munich will be shown live on FOX Sports 2 and FOX Soccer 2Go at 2:45pm ET.

It may have taken nearly two months for him to figure out, but Pep Guardiola seems to have finally discovered the correct combination that brings the most out of the array of talent at his disposal at Bayern Munich. After a string workman-like performances and lackluster victories, Bayern finally appear to have turned the corner and switched gears with a pair of dominant displays.

A thumping 4-0 win over Schalke 04 at the Veltins Arena on Saturday night signaled the arrival of the Bayern Munich side that Bundesliga spectators were so accustomed to watching last season. After a few Bundesliga games, including the Supercup loss to Dortmund, Pep recently revealed that the most important thing he had learned in German football was to control counter attacks of opponents.

Bayern were finally able to curb them on Saturday night in the Bundesliga as the Bavarians’ played with potency and ruthlessness in attack that were only matched by their defensive prowess and positional perfection. Die Konigsblauen are a tough test for any side and are one of Germany’s four representatives in the Champions League. On their day, they are a highly competent side that can be lethal on the counterattack. Jefferson Farfan, Julian Draxler, Adam Szalai and star signing Kevin-Prince Boateng are capable of combining with devastating effect. However Schalke’s threats on the counter were completely nullified by Bayern. Time and again the Royal Blues were repeatedly shut down by a strong collective defensive movement from the Bavarians.

Pep started with what looked like his usual 4-1-4-1 on paper but Schweinsteiger seemed to have dropped deeper alongside Lahm in midfield as the two dominated the pitch imperiously. With their off the ball pressing game in full flow, Bayern were always two or three steps ahead of Schalke and snuffed out any hint of a threat when not in possession. The players in midfield seemed to have finally bought into Pep’s philosophy as they regularly shuffled their places in midfield and put in a very strong collective effort in defense.  The convincing defeats of CSKA Moscow and Schalke showcased the true potential of Guardiola’s tactics, the same tactics that seemed to set the team back initially in the season.

Guardiola’s new 4-1-4-1 formation at the start of the season seemed to be fraught with problems as die Roten were forced to grind out wins in laborious fashion. They looked weak at the back, cluttered in the middle and blunt at the front. Thomas Muller, who typically thrives behind a striker in a 4-2-3-1 formation, seemed to look lost at times in the new set up while Ribery and Robben initially weren’t as threatening as they started from deeper positions compared to last year.

Since then the team has shown flashes of dominance for periods of 20-30 minutes in games while looking dormant for the rest of the 90. The pattern continued as injuries to Martinez, Schweinsteiger, Kirchoff, Thiago and Gotze meant that Guardiola was forced to try new combinations in central midfield. After the departures of central midfielders Tymoschuk and Gustavo, the new manager had to innovate as Lahm was shifted into defensive midfield. The move seemed to be successful as Bayern faced their first real test against Chelsea in the UEFA Supercup. The Bavarians were able to huff and puff past Chelsea in a thrilling match without the services of midfield talisman Bastian Schweinsteiger. Bayern were nowhere near their full potential in that game and they struggled to cope with Chelsea’s counter attacks but ultimately fought back impressively and ended up with the first piece of silverware of the season. The courageous win papered over some deficiencies of a growing Bayern side that were yet to hit their peak. As with any new regime, a new manager is often granted a grace period where he is excused for any minor bumps or slip ups. Mid-September marked the ending of this period as the groups stages of the UEFA Champions League commenced. Sammer’s criticism after the Hannover game and the subsequent debate within the Bayern hierarchy that ensued showed it was business time for Guardiola; the honeymoon period was over.

The team went on to respond to the criticism with aplomb. Bayern embarked on their Champions League title defense against CSKA Moscow in what was the first truly convincing win of the season. The Bavarians controlled the game throughout. It was the first performance of the season where Bayern played efficiently for the full 90 minutes. The Champions League opener and the subsequent victory in Gelsenkirchen over the weekend all but confirm that Bayern are well and truly back, and possibly even stronger than before. Tougher tests await die Roten, however. A red-hot Manchester City side who are finally playing up to their potential under Manuel Pelligrini await the Bavarians next Wednesday. The trip to the Etihad Stadium will be the perfect opportunity for Bayern to measure themselves against world class opposition and see where they stand. But regardless of what lies ahead, the Bavarians can well become a terrifying prospect for any opposition in Europe once all their weapons are available and ready for use.

Lahm, despite being a revelation in midfield so far, should be expected to slot back into his familiar right back position and relegate Rafinha to the bench in order to make way for Martinez in midfield. Guardiola seems content with Dante and Boateng as his center back pairing. It is therefore unlikely that Pep would sacrifice Martinez’s ball winning abilities in midfield by playing him in central defense.

With Thiago and Gotze also recovering from injuries and set to make their respective returns sooner or later, there are endless amounts of combinations and options for Pep to choose from. The comeback of such stars will further augment an already intimidating looking Bayern line-up. After recent changes, hiccups, uncertainty and criticism, Pep’s vision finally seems to be coming into fruition. Despite being faced with the unenviable task of bettering a treble-winning side, the former Barcelona coach may yet succeed with his tactical variations, wealth of options and spectacular vision.

Improving upon perfection always looked like being an insurmountable task, but Pep may have just figured out a way. The sky is the limit for Bayern Munich.

Last week, I gasped after ESPN FC released its latest power rankings composed by former Trinidad and Tobago goalkeeper Shaka Hislop. The video seemed to be the ultimate proof that being a former player does not guarantee being a competent soccer analyst. The list displayed Hislop’s rather comical understanding of the European landscape. His compilation of teams was inundated with Premier League sides in what appeared to be a ranking vaguely based on a combination of spending and Premier league fandom.

The list featured Real Madrid in first, followed by Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Juventus, Barcelona, Manchester City, Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool and last but not least, Borussia Dortmund. The amusing thing about the list is that there are no consistent criteria as to his selection of teams. On the basis of spending alone, Bayern, PSG, Real Madrid, Barcelona and even Monaco belong high up on the ranking whereas United and Liverpool do not even deserve to be mentioned. But if he was going based on pure merit and recent successes, Bayern and Dortmund should be topping the list while Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool have no business even being mentioned. No matter which way you break down his rankings, the only thing that remains consistent is his bias in favor of the Premier League given the unwarranted abundance of English sides. Mentioning Liverpool on the list of top ten teams in Europe based on any criterion was bad enough as it is, but to rank them ahead of Dortmund, who were placed last, was so absurd that it made the list look like a parody of some sort.

Amateur football analysts who devote generous amounts of time following the Premier League and a few Champions League games here and there can be expected to come up with such pieces and rankings. However, this particular compilation showed us all that even former players who are now analysts can be equally atrocious in this role. The piece is also an example of countless such articles that are plagued by misconceptions and inherent prejudices that are in favor of the Premier League. The EPL is indeed a strong league and is collectively without question the league with the most spending power, but one must doubt that it is the best league in terms of quality. While the spending of sides such as Manchester City and Chelsea suggest that they are strong, one still doubts whether their success in spending can be translated onto the pitch. Chelsea enjoyed a rather fortuitous Champions League victory in the 2011-12 season, but put up the worst title defense ever imaginable as they crashed out before Christmas in the following season. Manchester City, despite being bloated by oil money, remain the joke of Europe after consecutive seasons of failure in surviving the group stages. As for Real Madrid, letting go of Mesut Ozil while paying well over the odds for Gareth Bale show that club are more interested in making headlines than actually attempting to address several glaring issues in their squad. The Spanish club continues to succeed in hiding the fact that they have been hugely underwhelming in Europe over the last decade, with a failure to make even a single Champions League final appearance.

Borussia Dortmund on the other hand developed a team that collectively cost less than the move Liverpool made for Andy Carroll, yet ended up playing in the Champions League final after back to back domestic titles in Germany. Last season was no flash in the pan. Despite their loss today against Napoli in the Champions League, Dortmund have not only compensated for the loss of Gotze with the arrival of the prolific Mkhitaryan, but have further augmented their squad with the signing of the speedy and dynamic Pierre-Emerick Aubamayang,, a player who touched Usain Bolt’s sprint time.

Dortmund already sit top of the Bundesliga so far this season and are Champions league favorites again. Klopp has toned down the smash and grab approach of last season and the side are looking far more stable this time around. The comical list compiled by Hislop may come back to haunt him as BVB look more likely to win the Champions League than Real Madrid, PSG or any other Premier League side that has splurged this summer.

After the draw for the group stage of the UEFA Champions League was made several weeks ago, many pundits were discussing Arsenal’s difficult task of being drawn in the same group as Napoli, Borussia Dortmund and Marseille, while Manchester United’s group, Group A, was dismissed as another easy opening group for the Red Devils. However, the deceptively benign Group A can be an easy trap for any potential complacency shown by Manchester United as qualification to the round of 16 will be a very difficult task.

Group A may lack the big names, but David Moyes recently revealed that Sir Alex Ferguson had pointed out that United faced their toughest Champions League group in years. While the average Premier League fan may write off Shaktar Donetsk, Bayer Leverkusen and Real Sociedad, the United management team will be aware of the daunting assignment that lies ahead.

Shakhtar Donetsk surprised everyone last season. The Ukrainian champions displayed their strength and attacking verve as they beat Chelsea to the second place spot in the group that was topped by Italian champions Juventus. They have compensated the losses of Willian, Mkhitaryan and Fernandinho with the signings of Taison, Bernard and Douglas Costa. The jury is still out on Shakhtar after selling their three best players but the replacements they have brought in should be able to adequately sustain them. Regardless, Shakhtar will remain a daunting prospect for any side that travels to Ukraine and attempts to nick a point in what will be an intimidating atmosphere in the Donbass Arena. Lucescu, who remains in charge of Shaktar, is a highly competent manager and will ensure that Shakhtar continue to play a vibrant and attacking style of football that has seen them grow in recent years. United could easily struggle against Shakhtar in a similar fashion that Chelsea did last season.

Manchester United fans will remember their side’s loss suffered at the hands of Leverkusen in the Champions League semi-finals in 2002, but may still deem them to be a spent force. However, such a perception is misguided. After Bayern and Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen have rightly earned their title as the next best side in the Bundesliga They have been on a steady rise over the past year. As German football received plenty of plaudits last season due to the exploits of Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich in Europe, Leverkusen quietly went from strength to strength in the Bundesliga. Sami Hyypia’s side strung together a record number of consecutive victories and finished in third place behind Dortmund by a single point. Bayern, in particular, struggled against Leverkusen last season, losing to them at home and clinching a rather fortuitous away win. Die Werkself have thrived under the leadership of Liverpool legend Hyypia and have a robust squad that have proven to be very difficult to beat.

Despite the sale of Andre Schurrle to Chelsea, Leverkusen have found an adequate replacement in Korean attacker Hueng Son Min who has so far thrived at his new club. Together with the speedy Sidney Sam and the prolific Stefan Keissling (Bundesliga top scorer last season), Leverkusen have been extremely effective in launching counter attacks and have devastated teams on the break. Bayer Leverkusen have four victories and one loss so far in this season’s Bundesliga and appear to have built on the success of last season. They look to be a very formidable unit and will prove to be a very tough nut for United to crack. Leverkusen, with the squad they possess, should be expected to qualify from the group.

Real Sociedad could well be the Atletic Bilbao of two seasons ago that ravaged Manchester United in the Europa League at Old Trafford. The plucky Spanish outfit came back from 2-0 to upset Barcelona 3-2 last season and convincingly dumped Olympique Lyon out of the qualifying round this season. French winger Anoine Greizmann has been growing leaps and bounds so far and will be a player to watch out for at United. The emphatic win over Lyon showed the Real Socieded were ready for life after the sale of midfield asset Irramendi to Real Madrid this summer. The Spanish side play a fluent game and are more than capable of causing United plenty of problems.

Today will be an important day for David Moyes as he begins his first ever game of Champions League football. The former Everton manager does not boast a huge deal of experience of Europe but with the squad and reputation of the club he currently manages, he should have no issues in overcoming his relative lack of experience. The recent signing of Marouane Felliani, although not particularly celebrated by the media, may prove to be a decisive piece in the puzzle for United as they embark on their European journey. The big Belgian can finally be the effective foil that Michael Carrick so desperately needed all these years. The Englishman can finally be given some freedom and more room to add to the creativity and passing in the middle that United have lacked so often. With the proper application, attention to detail and understanding of their opponents, United can successfully weather the hidden storm that is Group A.

Editor’s note: For viewers in the United States, the game between Manchester United and Bayer Leverkusen will be on television today at 2:45pm ET on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Soccer 2Go. In the other Group A match, Real Sociedad plays Shakhtar Donestsk at 2:45pm ET on FOX Soccer 2Go.

Countless articles have been produced, one after another, linking half of Borussia Dortmund’s squad with a transfer to Arsenal. The irony is obvious in that the English side are chronic underachievers, having failed to win a single piece of silverware for eight years and counting, whereas Borussia Dortmund have already established themselves as a European power in their own right by following up their back-to-back Bundesliga titles and a defiant UEFA Champions League run to the final last season by making the marquee signings of Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang this summer.

Borussia Dortmund are financially sound. They have raised the wages of all their stars and could shell out as much as 27 million euros for a player. The assumption that a team like Arsenal, or any other club in Europe, for that matter, could simply waltz into Germany and cherry pick any player of their liking on Dortmund’s roster reveals a blatant lack of awareness regarding the balance of power on the European landscape.

The grating arrogance of some of the articles written is truly astounding. Ever since the recent marquee signing of Mesut Ozil, Premier League oriented sites have produced countless articles linking Marco Reus and Ilkay Gundogan to Arsenal. Premier League fans may be forgiven for thinking that the entire world wants to play in their league, as the league has been a dominant force in Europe over the last decade. Freedom of outside ownership, endless foreign imports and staggering transfer fees ensure that a large number of marquee names have always been present. However, recent evidence suggests that the ‘best league in the world’ claim is highly questionable.

Premier League sides have performed poorly in Europe recently. Aside from Chelsea’s largely luck-induced Champions league victory in 2012, English sides have largely struggled in Europe. Last season alone there were no English participants in the last eight of the competition. Many have written it off as an aberration, but it could still very well be a sign of things to come. While the Premier League might boast the strongest top four clubs in Europe at least on paper, the European performance of these clubs suggest otherwise; Arsenal and Manchester City have regularly underperformed in Europe.

The Premier League can rightfully claim to be more competitive then La Liga due to its unjust distribution of TV rights and the clear cut dominance of the two El Clasico rivals, but it is questionable to claim that is more competitive than the Bundesliga. The German league has had five different winners over the last decade, and the mid-table sides are notoriously unpredictable and are known to be a nightmare for bookies. However, despite the obvious rise of Borussia Dortmund with their back-to-back title victories, the Bundesliga was recently slated by Premier League blogs and followers as a ‘one-horse league’ with Bayern cantering to the title with a 25 point gap. Many attributed the victory to Bayern’s financial dominance and its ability to ‘cherry pick’ the strongest players from its rivals in order to ‘weaken’ them, rather than acknowledge the excellence of Jupp Heynckes and the strength of the same squad the defeated Barcelona 7-0 on aggregate in the Champions League semifinal tie.

The recent controversial signing of Mario Gotze, which was the result of a release clause and the other signings of Dante and Mandzukic may fuel these superfluous claims. However, the reality is quite different. Bayern have often struggled to get players from their domestic rivals. They failed to sign Arturo Vidal from Leverkusen in 2011 and again failed in their approach for Lars Bender, as Leverkusen doggedly refused to sell to their domestic rivals. Countless other players may be included in this list as German clubs have repeatedly refused to sell to Bayern more often than not.

To criticize Bayern for buying players like Mandzukic, Dante and Gotze from fellow domestic sides as a sign of a weak league and to suggest that the same does not occur in the Premier League is downright ludicrous. Every top-four club in the EPL has signed a generous number of the stars from other English sides. Manchester City acquired Gael Clichy and Samir Nasri from Arsenal while Robin van Persie left Arsenal to join Manchester United. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Theo Walcott were signed from Southampton while players like Rio Ferdinand and countless other English stars were West Ham products. To claim that the Premier League is competitive based on the fact that they don’t poach players from domestic rivals and other domestic sides is just not true.

Germany’s dominance in Europe last year was symbolized with an all-German final that took place in Wembley last season. There is evidence to suggest that the recent trend of German prowess might show no sign of abating. Aside from Dortmund and Bayern, who have strengthened with new signings and have been blessed with arrival of Pep Guardiola respectively, the trend could well continue with the strengthening of Leverkusen and Schalke. The latter have managed to hold on to their key asset in attacking midfielder Julian Draxler this summer and have augmented the squad with the arrival of Kevin-Prince Boateng from AC Milan. Leverkusen have excelled under the guidance of Sami Hyypia and prior to their loss to Schalke last weekend were on an eight game winning streak.

There is a great chance that the Bundesliga could better its stellar performance in Europe last season. With these recent developments, not to mention the highest attendance figures in Europe, best stadium infrastructure, fan culture, atmospheres and ticket prices, emphasis of home-grown talent and youth development in Germany, there is plenty of reason to believe that the Premier League, which is replete with foreign ownership, oil money, influx of foreign imports and neglect of local talent, is no longer  ‘best league in the world.’ And it’s title may well be due to hype and excessive marketing more than anything else.

Last month, I questioned Pep Guardiola’s decision to sign Thiago and mentioned all the potential pitfalls that were to come with it. Eventually, after a couple of weeks, it seems as though the inevitable has happened. An experienced Bundesliga and Champions League winner in Luiz Gustavo looks set to be chopped from the squad in order to make more room for Thiago, an unproven Spanish youth player who has no experience whatsoever in the Bundesliga or UEFA Champions League. Arsenal have reportedly stepped up their interest and a move for around £14-£16million pounds seems to be imminent in the coming days.

Gustavo was perfectly content at Bayern Munich. His place in the Brazilian national team was given to him even as he performed a back-up role for his club side. After the Confederations Cup in Brazil, he was perfectly content on fighting for his place at Bayern. Brazilian head coach Scholari even reiterated that Gustavo’s place would not be dependent whether he started every game. His position in the pecking order at the club last season did not seem to matter. However the latest developments all seem to indicate that Guardiola has deemed him to be surplus to requirements.

With his new 4-1-4-1 formation, Pep Guardiola may get excited about the prospect of a Bayern side with six attacking midfielders but the average Bayern fan will remember the dark and painful days under Klinsmann and especially Van Gaal where Bayern were very attacking but lacked any sort of defensive spine or cohesion whatsoever. Jupp Heynckes finally addressed the problems that plagued Bayern for years with a style based on defensive solidity and smooth transition into attack that depended on two pivots in midfield in his 4-2-3-1. The placement of Martinez next to Schweinsteiger into the starting line up with Gustavo as an able back-up proved to be the final piece to the puzzle as Bayern vanquished all in their sights. But with the departures of Tymoschuk and potentially Gustavo, Bayern have only one recognized defensive midfielder left in the form of Javi Martinez. And even he might be moved out of midfield and into defense in order to make way for Thiago.

New signing Jan Kirchoff, a center back by trade, seems to be capable of playing in defensive midfield so far but it remains to be seen if he can fill in that role against the top sides on a regular basis. Pep’s 4-1-4-1 with Schweinsteiger in a single pivot role has made Bayern vulnerable on the break. The sheer number of one-on-one situations that the Bayern defenders had to face in the season opener against Gladbach last weekend seemed to be a throwback to the Louis Van Gaal era. Bayern were able to score and attack with verve but the cohesiveness in defense were sorely lacking. Gladbach were unable to finish effectively on the break but against a team of superior skill, Bayern may have suffered as they did against Dortmund in the Supercup.

Pep himself did not seem to be too satisfied over the weekend and it is clear that the players are still learning his system. He even stated that he is open to changing the system. But the sale of Gustavo is a big risk. It is reminiscent of Pep’s early days at Barca where he got rid of established household names such as Deco, Ronaldinho and Zambrotta. Those decisions ultimately proved to be successful. But will Pep’s questionable choice to let go of Luiz Gustavo in favor of Thiago pay off? Only time will tell.

Coverage of the 2013-14 season of the Bundesliga kicks off today. For viewers in the United States, the opening match of the season will be shown live on GolTV at 2:30pm ET featuring Bayern Munich versus Borussia Monchengladbach.

Bayern Munich stormed to the Bundesliga title early in April and overshadowed the rest of the league with a mammoth 25 point lead. A similar pattern was expected for this season with the arrival of Pep Guardiola and Mario Gotze from Munich’s closest rivals Dortmund. However, with Bayern learning a new system and starting from scratch after disassembling the foundations of last season and with the strengthening of other teams at and near the top, the path to the title does not seem as straightforward this time around.

Season Predictions:

Winner: Bayern Munich

For all their drastic changes and questionable decisions under a new manager, Bayern Munich are still the team to beat in the Bundesliga.

The Bavarians possess the best squad and the league in terms of both talent and depth. The additions of Mario Gotze and Thiago Alcantara give Bayern an embarrassment of riches in the midfield department. Ribery and Robben show no signs of aging as they approach 30 with continued displays of creativity, trickery and plenty of pace. Schweinsteiger continues to remain top dog in midfield as he is supported by the guile of Kroos and the solidity of Javi Martinez who looks to be placed either behind him or beside him in midfield. Pep Guardiola aims to make Bayern as unpredictable as possible with a bench full of world class options. Xherdan Shaqiri has been blessed with more playing time in the preseason so far and shows no signs of slowing down his burgeoning development. Mario Gotze is back in training and looks to be fit by September, much to the relief of the Bavarians as they look to augment their creativity and spark in the attacking third. Mario Mandzukic and Claudio Pizarro look to be fine alternative options if the manager feels that a more direct approach to getting goals is necessary.

The Bavarians look set to go on and win the Bundesliga for a second year in succession. However, another early 25 point romping to the top of the table looks unlikely with the strengthening of other sides such as BVB, Schalke and Leverkusen. BVB especially look very likely to push Bayern all the way this time and improve upon their defensive performance as they look to close the gap with their impressive new signings. The title race looks like it will be settled in May and not in early April like last season.

Second Place: Borussia Dortmund

Jurgen Klopp pointed out last season that the 25 point gap between his side and Bayern was not due to the results against Bayern, which were both 1-1 draws. He instead pointed out to the whole catalogue of avoidable losses and draws his side suffered to mid-table opposition from the rest of the league. Klopp aims to keep it tight at the back this season and looks set to curtail their smash and grab approach of all out attacking football a little in order to prevent goals from leaking in at the wrong end. The Ruhr side have sufficiently replaced the losses of Gotze and Santana with Mkhitaryan and Sokratis respectively. Mkhitaryan was Borussia’s marquee signing of the summer with a hefty 27.5 million euros being spent on his capture. The former Shakhtar man scored an impressive 41 goals across all competitions for his former club, an impressive tally for a midfielder as he was a dynamic presence in attacking midfield.

However, Dortmund didn’t stop their spending there. The talented and speedy Pierre-Emerick Aubamayang was bought from Ligue 1 side St. Ettiene to supplement the thin bench of last season. However, Dortmund arguably still lack the extra depth that would enable them to mount a sustainable challenge in all three competitions. Right back Lukasz Piszczek is out till December with hip surgery. He looks set to be replaced by either the multi-faceted Kevin Grosskreutz or the sturdy Greek defender Sokratis. BVB will miss Piszczek’s bombing runs down the flanks and the solid defending that he provides. Die Schwarzgelben look set to be stretched in that department as they compete across competitions over the next five months. That being said, Dortmund are expected to make a drastic improvement on the domestic front this season. The black and yellows look set to push Bayern all the way with their new attacking additions and an exciting title race beckons.

Third Place: Schalke

Although Leverkusen finished third last season, Schalke seem to be the only side that look closest to breaking Bayern and Dormtund’s duopoly over the Bundesliga. Dortmund’s ruhr rivals Schalke have been going from strength to strength over the past few seasons as a result of a great youth system and shrewd buys in the transfer market.

This season they have strengthened by signing one of the hottest young German talents in the form of 18 year old attacking midfielder Leon Goretzka from second division side Vfl Bochum. Schalke have strengthened their backline with the signing of Felipe Santana from Dortmund. In Adam Szalai the Blue and Whites have signed a top quality back up striker. Die Konigsblauen have also strengthened their back room staff with the addition of Peter Hermann, former assistant manager from Bayern Munich who was a part of Jupp Heynckes treble-winning season. Schalke boast a strong squad with Klaas-Jan Huntelaar upfront supported by the prodigious Julian Draxler and the speedy Jefferson Farfan on the flanks as Goretzka looks set to play behind the striker. The hard-tackling Jermaine Jones marshals the central midfield with aplomb alongside the young Roman Neustadter who functions as the pivot of the side. Schalke also boast a strong back line with the new recruit Santana set to slot in alongside either Joel Matip or the versatile captain and German international Benedikt Howedes who can also play at full back. The young and strong Kyriakos Papadapolous remains on the sidelines with a troublesome knee injury but when fit can provide further depth in the defensive department. Schalke also boast an impressive set of fullbacks in Christian Fuchs, Atsuto Uchida and youth product Saed Kolasinac.

Fourth Place: Bayern Leverkusen

Bayern Leverkusen are a solid, physical outfit that finished third last season but still seem to be a club that lack ambition. Nevertheless, die Werkself have enjoyed a great preseason and look set to remain near the top of the table under manager Sami Hyypia.

The blow of the sale of Andre Schurrle to Chelsea has been softened by the signing of the talented Korean striker Son and Australian winger Robbie Kruse from Hamburg and relegated Fortuna Dusseldorf respectively. Leverkusen boast a strong squad with the top scorer of last season in the form of striker Stefan Kiessling at the top of the formation. The lions have also signed Emre Can, one of the brightest young talents in German football, from Bayern Munich, although the Bavarians still have a buy-back option. With the signing of Can, Leverkusen have a strong midfield with the young and talented Lars Bender and old work-horse Simon Rolfes in the center. Leverkusen have also strengthened defense with the signings of Roberto Hibert from Besitkas and young Italian talent Giulo Donati from Inter Milan.

Europa League Scramble:

As usual in the Bundesliga it is nearly impossible to predict the sides that will finish in the Europa League places. It remains to be seen whether Eintracht Frankfurt, who were newly promoted last season, can maintain or improve on their Europa League finish. The new signings Rosenthal, Flum and Schrock add depth but do not seem to add much quality to the side. Hamburg, despite the arrivals of Jacques Zoua and Johan Djourou, are an extremely unpredictable outfit with back to back wins over BVB last season while also finding themselves at the wrong end of a 9-2 route at the hands of Bayern. Either way, the loss of Son Heung-Min means that Hamburg are without their most potent attacking threat and it remains to be seen whether new recruit Zoua can fill his void.

Mainz look set to continue to punch above their weight with new signings in the form of Moritz (Schalke), Koch (Dortmund), Okazaki (Stuttgart), Schahin (Dusseldorf) and Park Joo-Hoo (Basel). Although they failed to reach Europe last season, a Europa League spot does not look out of reach this time around. Freiburg, who were the revelation of last season, look unlikely to finish in Europa League positions again with the sales and departures of the core of their midfield that included Rosenthal, Flum, Makiadi, Caligiuri, Kruse, Santini and Jendrisek. Despite the arrivals of replacements such as Mike Hanke and Francis Coquelin, Freiburg may struggle due to the sheer number of changes. Hannover, Stuttgart and Wolfsburg remain in the mix with squads that have the quality to fight it out for a Europa league place as well.

Danger Zone: Werder Bremen, Eintracht Braunschweig, Hoffenhiem

Werder Bremen have been in steady decline since 2010 as their long standing manager Thomas Schaaf seemed to have gradually lost his wherewithal. Bremen have fallen a long way from being a Champions League side as they had to battle relegation last season. Schaaf’s long tenure ended last season and he has replaced by former Leverkusen manager Robin Dutt. However, an unimpressive preseason does not bode well for Werder. Furthermore, no significant additions have been made to improve the squad so far that would help stem the rot. Defender Sokratis has yet to be replaced and the squad sorely lacks depth as well as quality at the back.

Hoffenheim pulled a rabbit out of the hat to avoid relegation on the very last day of last season as they beat Borussia Dortmund 2-1 away from home and depended on other results to remain in the top flight. However, there seems to be a state perpetual instability at the village side as large numbers of players are bought and sold every window. Newly promoted side Eintracht Braunschweig were one of the founding members of the Bundesliga and make their long awaited return to the top flight after 28 years. Manager Torsten Lieberknecht has been responsible for saving Braunschweig from not qualifying for the newly introduced nation-wide third divison in 2008 and has seen the side rise to the second and then first division in the span of just five years, a hugely impressive feat. However, it is his first time in Germany’s top flight and it remains to be seen whether his squad can make the cut amongst Germany’s finest.

From the day the announcement was made, I had never questioned Bayern’s decision to hire the worlds most sought-after manager until Jupp Heynckes’ machine trounced the very same Barcelona side built by his would-be successor. My fear that Guardiola would weaken Bayern’s tenacity with a more elegant, attacking but unstable approach came to fruition this past Saturday in the first competitive match of the German season, the German Supercup.

As Marco Reus tapped in the fourth goal from close range during the DFL Supercup, one couldn’t help but feel a sense of déjà vu from the 2011-12 Pokal final where Shinji Kagawa and company repeatedly tore through the Bavarian midfield in waves of counter attacks as Bayern crashed to a 5-2 defeat that night. This night was different, as Bayern played a new system with plenty of intricate passing sequences and ball hogging, but the score line was an eerily similar result to previous encounters between the teams. On the back of a glorious, all-conquering treble winning 2012-13 season, it was a strange sight to see Bayern suffer such a loss, and it came as a surprise. Many may blow off the result as the Bavarians getting the hang of the new system implemented by their new rock star manager, but certain doubts remain.

Bayern had to start the game without Ribery, Gotze, Neuer and Martinez who all had to sit out due to minor injuries. Schweinsteiger, who was not fully fit, did not start the game and was subbed in late on. Thiago and Kroos attempted to pull the strings in midfield behind attackers Shaqiri, Muller, Robben and Mandzukic. The experiment seemed to backfire badly as Bayern looked porous despite all their pressing and possession. Thiago played defensive midfield in the new 4-1-4-1 formation and was overrun by Dortmund’s energetic duo of Sven Bender and Gundogan in midfield. The Bavarians struggled to contain the swift movement of the buzzing black and yellow shirts. The goals came as they were caught out on the break, although two of the goals were a result of a comical error by the stand-in keeper Starke and a deflected own goal by Van Buyten.

Guardiola’s 4-1-4-1 seemed to lack any sort of cohesion defensively in the center of the park as too many players pushed forward and were caught out on the break. The formation seemed to be laden with problems. Thomas Muller, who usually thrives behind the striker or out on the wing, was largely ineffective in a more conservative role. Robben seemed to be pegged back and was constricted despite his two goal contribution. Bayern played a possessive game that was impressive at times but the dangerous wing play of last season was markedly reduced, although one might argue that this was due to Ribery’s absence on the left. The game was similar to Bayern’s unimpressive 2-0 win in the friendly over a second-string Barcelona side where Bayern were caught repeatedly on the break but were unpunished. Such problems were absent from the side under Jupp Heynckes; a side that was built on strong foundations of combining defensive solidity with possession, fluidity, and lethal attacking movements.

It may be ridiculous to press the panic button just yet in light of the relevance of the game and absence of key players. Bayern were without arguably one of their most creative players in Franck Ribery. The Bavarians have often struggled to create chances without him in the past and have always relied on his creativity and mazy runs down the left wing. Furthermore, the absence of Martinez and a fully fit Schweinsteiger was obvious for all to see on Saturday night. The duo formed the core of Bayern’s midfield last season. And lastly, Bayern were without their newly acquired asset in Mario Gotze, whose creativity and spark would surely add a new dimension to Bayern’s attack. Although the result is worrying, it is still very early in the season and the players are learning a new system they had to play in the sweltering summer heat wave.

But why is the system being changed? With Schweinsteiger and Martinez providing the very foundation of the side, Bayern were simply impeccable last season. Their combination allowed them to beat everyone and win everything. Despite the glaringly obvious, Guardiola seems intent on restructuring Bayern. Pep abandoned the 4-2-3-1 based system, which was based on a central pivot and has thrown caution to the wind with this new 4-1-4-1 where midfielders are simply crowded into attacking positions. Although it may be too early to judge, Guardiola’s system seems to lack stability despite its success so far against smaller opposition in the preseason. Doubts remain over its effectiveness against Germany and Europe’s finest. While Bayern can increase the goal tally against the Hamburgs and Augsburgs of the world with these new tactics, teams with the caliber of Borussia Dortmund are more than capable of exploiting the most minor of chinks in the armor of any given side. It is also frustrating to see fine players like Muller and Kroos being diminished and other players like Gustavo and youth players being completely pushed aside to accommodate Thiago, which to me despite his raw talent still seems like a needless purchase.

Although one can only hope that the players eventually adapt to the new system, the most worrying development of Saturday night was the new manager’s choice to leave Luiz Gustavo unused on the bench. Pep’s decision to leave out an accomplished defensive midfielder and Confederation Cup hero on the sidelines in favor of playing Thiago in defensive midfield, a position which he is unfamiliar with, was baffling. Another puzzling decision was to bring on the central defender Dante for Toni Kroos when Bayern were chasing the game. Guardiola’s new tactics and desire to restructure the midfield were always questionable considering the success of last season but strange substitutions and choice of lineup make me question his judgment and decision-making. Although it is still early days in the Guardiola era, one cannot help but feel that Pep may have lost the plot already. Having said that, Pep lost his first competitive match while coaching Barcelona, and at the end we all know how his first season ultimately turned out.

The transfer of Thiago Alcantara to Bayern Munich has done nothing but pain me.

What happened to the club that used to take care of its own youth and nurture them to become the Bastian Schweinsteigers and Philip Lahms of today? What about Bayern’s great youth academy? Is the transfer of Thiago Alcantara really necessary when the Bayern roster is already bursting at the seams with world class midfielders? Bayern boast the treble-winning midfield partnership of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Javi Martinez, the elegant maestro of Toni Kroos, the wily Thomas Muller, Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery, Luiz Gustavo and the young Xherdan Shaqiri. Bayern recently signed Mario Gotze, whose guile, potential and sheer class made him a mouthwatering prospect in Bayern’s new line up.

Where on earth does Thiago fit in to all this? A player who left Barcelona for more playing time is to start games in the Bayern midfield? What is to become of budding young talents like Emre Can and Pierre-Emil Hojbjerg who are waiting in the wings? Are Bayern set to ignore their own youth simply to satisfy the whims of their new Spanish manager?

At first, Pep Guardiola’s appointment as the new manager of Bayern Munich seemed to be a match made in heaven; one of the most sought after coaches in the world who had a knack for developing and nurturing youth players into a system where they can play flowing, attacking football was now destined to work with Bayern. One envisioned that he would integrate the unpolished midfield gems that were growing in Bayern’s youth team and turn Bayern’s current treble-winning squad into a truly unstoppable attacking football force for years to come. The confirmation of the signing of Mario Gotze for 37 million euros in April seemed to confirm that Guardiola had already made his first mark at his new club before even officially starting.

However, Guardiola came out publicly stating his interest in Thiago. “Gotze is a suberb player, but I need Thiago” The quote seems rather dismissive of Gotze, and oddly so, given his remarkable form last season and his immense talent and potential.

Schweinsteiger is Bayern’s own Xavi who pulls the strings in midfield. Martinez offers steel in the middle and Kroos offers class while Ribery and Robben seemed destined to work their magic upfront with Gotze or Muller. Thiago, while still a good player bought at a bargain price of around 20 million euros, offers nothing more to the table. The move would make more sense from the perspective of adding further squad depth and providing more competition for places. However, it seems unlikely that a player bought for twenty million was meant to sit on the sidelines. Thiago left his boyhood club in search of more playing time ahead of the World Cup next year. In that light, the move hardly makes sense and it is seems as though he has made the jump from the frying pan into the fire. As a player who has failed to live up to his potential over the past two seasons, it seems baffling that Thiago could start over Kroos, Schweinsteiger, Muller, or Gotze, all of whom have stellar seasons playing at the highest level and are seasoned campaigners. Not only is this signing bound to upset the currently perfect balance of Bayern’s all-conquering midfield of last season, squad players and young players may struggle for any minutes and may be tempted to leave the club. Gustavo, an extremely reliable midfield back-up, may now be shunted further down the pecking order, while the same fate may lie for budding talent of Shaqiri as well. And painfully enough, young talents like Can and Hojberg may never get to a chance to grow into Bayern’s midfield and become the club’s home-grown stars of tomorrow.

Guardiola vowed at his first Bayern press conference that he would adapt to his players instead of making his team adapt to him, but judging by his impetuous public comments and the recent transfer of Thiago Alcantara, he seems to be doing quite the opposite. That being said, the club seem to have implicit trust in his judgment and only time will tell if the coach is making the right steps with this immense gamble.