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Bayern Munich have finally overtaken Borussia Dortmund to go to the top of the Bundesliga table. They now have 57 points from 25 matches, level on points with Borussia Dortmund, but the former's slightly superior goal difference means that they are now ahead of Dortmund in the league table.
Bayern had a really bad start to the season and were languishing at the 6th position of the league table at one point in time. However, they have gradually improved their form whilst Dortmund appear to be losing some of their steam. Bayern’s players and coach Niko Kovac can definitely aspire to win the Bundesliga title once again.
The German giants have been dominant domestically in both Bundesliga and the DFB Pokal cup. After thrashing Wolfsburg 6-0, Bayern will now focus their attention on playing against Liverpool at home. A victory will see them qualify for the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals.
Here is look at the three reasons behind Bayern’s rise to the top of the league table.
#1 Robert Lewandowski’s great form
Lewandowski continues to impress for Bayern and his good form is one of the primary reasons behind Bayern’s resurgence. He scored a brace the 6-0 win over Wolfsburg on Saturday, and now has 29 goals from 34 matches this season. He has also scored 197 goals in the Bundesliga so far, which makes him the highest scoring non-German in its history.
Lewandowski is very lethal inside the opposition penalty box, excellent in the air and has a good eye on the target. All these qualities make him a dangerous proposition for the opposition defenders and his consistency is also an asset for his team.
He is currently the highest goal-scorer in Bundesliga and has also scored some goals in the UEFA Champions League this year. He is also a very intelligent player and his off-the-ball play is also quite good.
He scored in Bayern’s 2-3 loss against his former club Dortmund in November and would again look to score against them when those two sides meet again in April. The outcome of that match could decide the ultimate winner of the Bundesliga. Bayern would definitely need Lewandowski to be in good form for the rest of the season.
When he is needed to perform for his side, the Polish striker has almost always been able to help his club. Despite all the rumours that he could leave Germany, Lewandoski has remained an extremely vital player for the club.
#2 Serge Gnabry coming of age
Gnabry has been a revelation for Bayern in the ongoing season. The former Arsenal player is now a regular starter for the Bavarians and scored against Wolfsburg too. He now has nine goals and three assists in 30 matches this season so far, a stark difference from his former self while with the Gunners.
Gnabry is a very skilful player with very good ball-skills and finishing abilities. He can play both as a winger and a centre-forward. His understanding of both positions has helped him form a good partnership up front with Lewandowski. He has contributed immensely towards Bayern’s rise since December and remains one of the most important players for them.
Gnabry was not very successful for Arsenal but has been able to reinvent himself for the German club. However, his real test lies ahead, as Bayern would try to battle their way through to the latter stages of Champions League and Bundesliga. Going by his current form, Gnabry should have no problem in dealing with those challenges.
Earlier, the 23-year-old signed a contract extension with the Bundesliga leaders as he looks to commit his future to the club. With Lewandowski getting older, Gnabry could soon step up to become an established forward for his side.
#3 Experienced players performing well
The experienced players of Bayern such as Mats Hummels, Manual Neuer, Thomas Muller and Franck Ribery have been performing reasonably well for the last few months. Muller scored a goal and set up another last night against Wolfsburg. He now has seven goals and six assists from 33 matches this season. Ribery also provided an assist against Wolfsburg and was a constant threat through the left flank.
Hummels and Neuer, meanwhile, continue to be dependable in Bayern’s defence. Neuer is back from an injury and should look forward to performing well in the upcoming matches for the German giants.
Moreover, veteran players like Javi Martinez and Rafinha have also been performing quite well for Bayern. The valuable experience of the aforementioned players has helped Bayern a great deal in recovering from a bad start to the season. Kovac would be depending a lot on them for winning a major silverware on his debut season as their manager.
