Bundesliga Round-up: Bayern may have the league tied up but there's plenty to play for

European Leagues / Nik Wardle / 27 March 2008 / Leave a Comment

What an underrated product the Bundesliga is. With just two months of the season remaining there are still many prizes being hotly contested, including relegation and those money spinning Champions' League spots.

The race for the Bundesliga title has followed a similar pattern to that of Ligue 1 in France. The dominant side, in Germany's case Bayern Munich, has pulled away from the pack since Christmas and are a cert to be crowned champions. Who will clinch the other two Champions League spots remains unclear, however, as does who will drop out of the best-supported league in Europe. With nine games left, Bayern are seven points clear. Betfair have confirmed that they're a foregone conclusion to win the Budesliga by having a "Winner W/O B Munich" category.

Werder Bremen are currently at [2.0] in that market. I feel these are narrow odds seeing as they've declined dramatically since the winter break. Neck-and-neck going into the festive period with Bayern, Bremen have only accumulated eight of a possible twenty-four points since the resumption. Their long term prospects of bettering Bayern seem dim too as German international midfielder Tim Borowski will be joining their rivals, mirroring the move made by Miro Klose last summer. That's the equivalent of Didier Drogba moving to Man United from Chelsea one summer and Michael Essien doing it the next!

Bremen currently sit fourth, level on points with Schalke and Bayer Leverkusen, and two points behind second placed Hamburg. Kevin Keegan's former club are backable at [2.4] to finish behind Bayern. Hamburg have been steady all season but have drawn too many games (two-fifths) to be able to mount a serious title challenge. Their last defeat was against Bremen way back on December 1st. It's been rumoured that English sides have been sniffing around Bremen's Diego but I think Hamburg's van der Vaart would be more of a hit in the Premier League.

After losing three on the trot, Schalke have turned it around to string together three consecutive wins. I think they are the side most likely to challenge Hamburg and could be good value at [3.1]. I don't see their forthcoming Champions League quarter-final games against Barcelona being a distraction for them. Surprise package Leverkusen are at [4.0] and last season's champions Stuttgart are three points behind the pack and you can back them at best price [7.0]. The latter have won four out of five and must be kicking themselves for having such a poor start to the season.

It's now late March and yet there are still no dead ducks in the Bundesliga. Five clubs are all within five points of each other at the wrong end. With four of the Champions League challenging sides still to play, I expect bottom club Duisburg to fall through the trap door and they're the favourites to do so at [1.19].

Last year's cup winners Nurnberg replaced their coach during the winter break but Thomas van Heesen has yet to record a win as manager. Even the signing of Jan Kohler hasn't improved matters and they sit second to bottom, trading at [1.88]. Cottbus ([1.4]) have beaten both Schalke and Bayern this season. Their recent win over the champions-elect was all the more surprising as it was their first since the winter break.

Arminia Bielefeld ([1.39]) have by far the worst goal difference but are currently a point outside the drop zone. Like Nurnberg, they haven't won since the winter break, despite changing their manager. Hansa Rostock ([2.4]) have scored the lowest amount of goals in the Bundesliga this season but are currently four points clear of safety. With none of the bottom five having much form, it really is anyone's guess who will stay up.

With five teams battling to join Bayern in the Champions League next season and the same number aiming to survive, dead rubbers will be a scarce commodity between now and May in the Bundesliga.