The Bundesliga’s status quo has been torn up and for the first time in years, there would appear to be a title challenge. For a number of reasons, Bayern Munich have dominated the German league, to such an extent that their managers no longer get much credit for actually winning a league title. However that might change this year, with the rise of RB Leipzig who currently top the Bundesliga, three points ahead of Bayern.
Who are they?
In 2009 Red Bull purchased German fifth division side SSV Markranstadt and stripped the club of its founding identity. Dietrich Mateschitz, founder of the energy drink, had finally added a German club to his football empire which also includes Red Bull Salzburg and the New York Red Bulls.
Unlike the other teams in his portfolio, Leipzig were prohibited from including a sponsor in their official name, meaning that the “RB” doesn’t actually stand for Red Bull, but instead for RasenBallsport or “Lawn Ball Sport”.
This was one of the first moves by the board to circumvent endless regulations in German football that are skewed in Bayern Munich’s favour. German clubs are required to abide by the 50+1 rule, which gives its members and fans the chance to elect the board. Instead of following the rule, Red Bull changed their membership criteria so that you would have to pay €800 to become a member, over 10 times the amount at Bayern Munich. As it stands, RB Leipzig have just 17 members with voting powers.
What impact have Leipzig had on Bayern Munich?
UEFA’s Financial Fair Play ethos and the rules set out by the Bundesliga have been warped by the elite to ensure that the sudden impact experienced by Chelsea and Manchester City in the Premier League won’t happen in Germany. However, what Leipzig have done is exactly what was needed to make sure that the Bundesliga remained competitive.
Bayern were one of the clubs who drove through the Financial Fair Play measures and the designated Champions League prize money. Fan ownership and organic growth is adored in Germany, meaning that Leipzig’s principles are loathed, but Bayern have made no other way possible. How is there a future for Germany football if every time a half-decent youngster comes along, Bayern go and sign him?
For years, Bayern have poached the best talent from their rivals, the most recent acquisition being Mats Hummels from Dortmund. Little over 2 years ago, Mario Gotze and Robert Lewandowski arrived from the same club who’d been Bayern’s title rivals. Those two signings saw Dortmund drop from runners-up to 17th in a league of 18 teams.
Indeed on the first day of this season, Bayern won 6-0 at home against Werder Bremen. What’s the point? There was no competition and it was just an elite club dominating an inferior side who are classified in the same league.
A fortnight ago at Bayern’s AGM, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge claimed that “the other teams are scared”. For once, Bayern are scared. Their supremacy and dominance has been threatened and for obvious reasons they’re not liking it.
Pep Guardiola left Bayern with doubts over his ability, having failed to win the Champions League with the club, but whose fault was that? In such an uncompetitive league, a European title is the only prize worth winning. Leipzig have challenged the status quo and they’ll do German and European football a great service if they succeed.
Put simply, RB Leipzig are playing a game against the spirit of German football. But a fortnight ago, Bayern re-elected Uli Hoeness as president in a one-person election with a 97% turnout. Hoeness of course was recently released from prison for tax evasion. It’s clear how Munich see their ideal principles threatened by this new rising force.
Would this would in the UK?
Unlike Germany, English football is used to the impact of money from new investors, but many fans might take exception if this comes at the detriment to the club’s history and heritage. Nottingham Forest and Leeds are two of England’s most historic clubs, both coincidentally outside the top division at the moment, and both have been linked with takeovers by Red Bull.
To own a football club in England, the prospective owner must pass the Football League’s Owners and Directors Test, the results of this show whether the prospective owner is suitable to run a football club. Recent years have shown this test to be questionable at best, with Carson Yeung imprisoned in 2014 for money laundering and Massimo Cellino’s dubious ownership of Leeds.
It’s not out of the question for Red Bull to take ownership of an English club, but it seems unlikely that they’d go straight in and buy one that’s currently in the Premier League.