Bayern expect stiffer title challenge this time

Michael Ballack's indecision is hanging over Bayern Munich like a dark cloud as they prepare to defend their title in an intriguing season for the Bundesliga before the 2006 World Cup.

Bayern finished 14 points clear of Schalke 04 last term and they will be clear favourites to bag a 20th title, and their sixth in eight years, when they kick off the new season at their spectacular new stadium today.

Their one nagging doubt is the future of Ballack, the Bundesliga Player of the Year last season.

The 28-year-old Germany captain's contract runs out in 2006 and he has yet to decide whether to sign a new deal that would make him by far the highest paid player in the country. The indications say he will probably stay.

"We've moved heaven and earth to make him the offer," said Bayern president Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

"We have to see if it's going to be enough."

German football needs Ballack - the closest thing the country has to a "galactico" - but it also needs a closer race for the title.

Bayern's double-winning exploits last season were overshadowed by a match-fixing scandal that rattled the football establishment just as World Cup tickets were going on sale.

Attention will focus on Germany more and more as the big event approaches and with TV rights up for renegotiation the Bundesliga has a priceless opportunity to prove it can provide the sort of excitement associated with England and Spain.

Germany is consistently one of the highest scoring leagues in Europe. With Denmark striker Jon Dahl Tomasson joining VfB Stuttgart and Lukas Podolski returning to the top division with Cologne, this season promises more goals than ever.

"Bayern must become champions," Schalke coach Ralf Rangnick said in a clear attempt to put more pressure on his rival Felix Magath.

"We were second and we don't want to go below that, but Werder want their title back and Stuttgart and Hertha Berlin will also be pushing."

Magath will have a smaller squad this term as he looks to repeat the league and cup double of his first season in charge.

Seven players have left and only three have come in - French defender Valerien Ismael, German international full-back Philipp Lahm and Iran's Ali Karimi, the Asian Player of the Year.

Schalke look well equipped. Germany striker Kevin Kuranyi, signed for 6.9 million euros from Stuttgart, should more than make up for the absence of Ailton.

Stuttgart will pin their faith on the vast experience of Italian coach Giovanni Trapattoni, who won the title with Bayern back in 1997 and comes to the club after guiding Benfica to the Portuguese championship.

SV Hamburg, who drifted to eighth place last time, will be newly optimistic after snapping up Dutch international Rafael van der Vaart from Ajax for 5.1 million euros.

Hertha Berlin always look dangerous with Brazilian Marcelinho dictating play but Werder Bremen, who slipped to third after their double win in 2004, have lost key players and may struggle further.

Borussia Dortmund no longer have the money to compete for transfers but they pulled off something of a coup in signing South African striker Delron Buckley for just 425,000 euros after he scored 15 goals for Arminia Bielefeld last season.

All German fans, whatever their club allegiances, will be willing Podolski on to beat the likes of Buckley and Bayern's Roy Makaay to the award for leading scorer.

Podolski scored 24 goals with Cologne as they secured promotion alongside Eintracht Frankfurt and Duisburg.

A good season for Podolski, a new contract for Ballack and a tight, high-scoring battle for the title would set the stage perfectly for the World Cup.

Weekend Fixtures

Today
B. Munich vs B. M'gladbach

Tomorrow
Cologne vs Mainz
Hamburg vs Nuremberg
Hanover vs Hertha Berlin
Duisburg vs Stuttgart
Wolfsburg vs B. Dortmund
Werder Bremen vs A. Bielefeld

Sunday
E. Frankfurt vs B. Leverkusen
Schalke vs Kaiserslautern