This archive report was first published on 13 May 2020.
As the Bundesliga returns from a two-month shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, Bayern Munich are in a strong position to win their eighth consecutive title. However, Borussia Dortmund, led by the young Norwegian striker Erling Braut Haaland, are the team most likely to challenge Bayern's dominance.
Bayern had a patchy start to the season under coach Niko Kovac, but since Hansi Flick took over, the team has won 10 and drawn one of their last 11 league games. They are currently four points clear of Dortmund at the top of the table.
Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, Bayern have been busy strengthening their team. Coach Hansi Flick has signed a new contract until 2023, and key players Thomas Mueller and Alphonso Davies have also extended their contracts. Former striker Miroslav Klose has joined the team as an assistant coach.
With Robert Lewandowski scoring 25 goals in 23 games, Bayern are a formidable team. However, they still have to face Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen, and it remains to be seen how much home advantage will matter without fans.
Borussia Dortmund, on the other hand, will have to rely on their young stars Haaland and Jadon Sancho to lead them to victory. They have been in thrilling form, winning seven out of eight league games since Haaland arrived from Red Bull Salzburg.
However, Dortmund will not be able to rely on their fans, who usually pack the 81,000-capacity Signal Iduna Park. Their next two home games, against Ruhr rivals Schalke and then Bayern, will lose much of their edge as a result.
"Having to play behind closed doors is an enormous challenge, especially for a club like BVB, which draws a lot of strength from the passion of its supporters," admitted Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke.
Despite the challenges, Dortmund are still in contention for the title. They have a tough schedule ahead of them, including a visit to Leipzig, who have their own fearsome striker in Timo Werner and a young and exciting coach in Julian Nagelsmann.
At the bottom of the table, Werder Bremen are in danger of being relegated. They are four points adrift of Fortuna Dusseldorf in the relegation play-off place and eight points from outright safety.
"We all know how precarious our league position is. That's motivation enough," said sporting director Frank Baumann when asked about playing home games without fans.
