Leverkusen evolving into tempting outside bet for Bundesliga title
Published:Things have been looking decidedly two-horsey in Germany’s top division for the past four seasons, but in Sami Hyypia’s Bayer Leverkusen side, the Bundesliga now has a new threat to the rule of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.
Not since Wolfsburg came from nowhere to usurp the Bundesliga crown from the established powers in the 2008/09 campaign, has a team other than Bayern or Dortmund claimed the German championship.
However, both Werder Bremen and Stuttgart have also risen to the top in the last decade, which gives the impression that this is a league with far more vitality than that of say La Liga for example.
Although Bayern’s all-conquering treble-winners ran away with the title in the end last season, they only sit one point ahead of Dortmund and Leverkusen after eight games this time, with the chasing pair parted by goal difference alone.
While most punters will still be jumping on Bayern’s heavily odds-on price of 1/5 to make it back-to-back titles regardless, the most recent 1-1 draw between Leverkusen and Bayern suggests things are getting a lot closer at the top.
In Stefan Kiessling, Leverkusen are blessed with the Bundesliga’s top scorer of last season, with 25, and a goal scorer of genuine quality.
The German’s goals helped Hyypia’s side get to within a point of Jurgen Klopp’s much lauded Dortmund outfit in the final standings.
Kiessling has already netted five times for the cause in 2013/14, one behind Robert Lewandowski at present, while he is a 4/1 shot to be the top goalscorer again, where the Pole is priced at 3s.
Aside from taking a point against Bayern already, Leverkusen’s league title credentials have already been bolstered by wins over the teams currently fourth, fifth and seventh in the table – in Borussia Monchengladbach, Hannover 96 and Stuttgart.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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