It was only upon seeing the result of the big German Cup tie of the week on Tuesday night that I confirmed what I have long thought about the outcome of this season’s Bundesliga title race.
Sure, you don’t need to look at our Bundesliga 2025 betting odds to realise the difference between one side and the rest.
These SBOTOP pages have regularly documented why Bayern Munich are overwhelming favourites, and it’s now been two months since they started to pull clear at the summit.
It was just the reality hit home again on Tuesday evening as the only two teams to have pushed the Bavarians close over the past decade fought it out for a place in the DFB Cup quarter-finals.
It was Bayer Leverkusen, who, of course, produced a superb title triumph in 2024, who prevailed at Borussia Dortmund.
The Black and Yellows had actually won 2-1 at Leverkusen in the league just a few days ago, but fell behind after 34 minutes of a high-octane first half when Ibrahim Maza took advantage of some hesitant defending to break the deadlock.
Despite home pressure, that was how it stayed, and Leverkusen avenged that weekend defeat.
What the contest did reaffirm to me, though, was how far these sides have fallen behind Bayern.
That is no surprise given the gulf in resources, but it was further confirmation (not that it was really required) that the only real narrative at the top of the Bundesliga this term is who will be the best of the bridesmaids (you can add RB Leipzig into that mix too, and possibly cup holders Stuttgart).
With that in mind, I have looked further down the pecking order for my Bundesliga 2025 highlights, as the most compelling storylines are more towards the bottom of the standings.
Four points currently separate the bottom five, with the sides placed 17th and 18th ultimately relegated, and the team in 16th facing a play-off.
It is the side just outside of that gaggle, though, which has caught my eye.
Indeed, Hamburg now have a bit of wriggle room – back in the Bundesliga; back in the top flight after a seven-year absence.
Younger readers may not realise, but at the end of the 1970s and the start of the 1980s, Hamburg were the country’s leading force, led by the likes of Felix Magath and Kevin Keegan, and one of only three German clubs in history to win the European Cup.
Yet they could not replicate those performances in the ensuing decades and slowly fell from grace, although they did hold the distinction of being the only club to participate in every Bundesliga season until their relegation in 2018.
That word was being mentioned again, going into the weekend following five league games without a win (and just one point), but their last-gasp victory over Stuttgart was mightily impressive, even more so given they played the closing stage with 10 men.
It was Fábio Vieira who scored with virtually the last kick of the game to earn them a dramatic victory over in-form opponents and send the home fans at the Volksparkstadion into raptures.
As it stands, they are without Robert Glatzel, after the striker suffered a thigh injury in that game, while influential captain Youssuf Poulsen, Warmed Omari, and Daniel Elfadli are also sidelined.
But a few more performances like that one and Hamburg should be able to think about consolidation, which, while it may seem a far cry from the days when they trumped Bayern, is definite progress.
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