European league football over the last decade has been a bit, you know, meh, hasn’t it?
In Italy Juventus reign supreme.
In Spain, despite the presence of Real and Atletico Madrid, Barcelona usually have the title wrapped up by April.
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In France PSG’s stranglehold is almost embarrassing, so much so that Champions League progress continues to evade them as a result.
And in Germany it’s a similar story, with Bayern Munich triumphing seven years in a row.
But this season the Bundesliga packs a punch. And then some.
In fact, it has all the early ingredients to be the most exciting campaign across the division for a generation.
Bayern are in a state of flux, losing both Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery while other senior squad members voice their concerns at their lack of major signings.
That was until Philippe Coutinho arrived over the weekend; a real joker in the pack who should relish a change of scenery.
But Coutinho needs good people around him to thrive – something he didn’t have at Barcelona – and his confidence has nosedived since he left Liverpool 18 months ago.
A less imperious Bayern side can only be a positive for the Bundesliga and Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig are closing the gap.
Dortmund have taken a leaf out of their Bavarian rival’s books by poaching some of the finest talent from the best of the rest this summer.
In come Thorgan Hazard from Borussia Monchengladbach, Julian Brandt from Bayer Leverkusen and Nico Schulz from Hoffenheim.
Oh, and Mats Hummels is back.
After staving off interest elsewhere for Jadon Sancho, Dortmund will be praying inspirational captain Marco Reus can stay fit.
Because if everything clicks they have arguably the most exciting young side in Europe.
In Leipzig’s corner, their case for the title is less about player personnel and more about who now patrols the touchline.
The arrival of Julian Nagelsmann from Hoffenheim, one of the most coveted young managers in Europe, is a real coup.
Nagelsmann, who at just 32 years old is younger than Manuel Neuer, is already having lasting positive effects on players under his tutelage.
He’s worked wonders with Schulz and Serge Gnabry, so will Timo Werner and Ademola Lookman be next?
At the other end of the division, Union Berlin have graduated to the top flight for the first time in their history.
Their fans commemorated the occasion by acknowledging deceased supporters who never got to see their side play in the Bundesliga.
They were rather unceremoniously dispatched 4-0 by Leipzig, but they’re sure to be a real hit among the hipsters this season.
In fact if the first weekend is anything to go by, we really do have a proper title race on the cards.
Leipzig and Dortmund both won by four, with Sancho again at the centre of everything good, while Bayern laboured to a 2-2 home draw with Hertha Berlin.
Whisper it quietly, but the Bavarian supremacy is starting to show signs of cracking.
Now, after bigging it up so much, watch Bayern go and wrap up another title with five games to spare…