DON’T ATTACK LEIPZIG, AT LEAST THEY TRY TO BEAT BAYERN BULLIES

To those of a certain age, hamburg are a big club. Champions of Europe in 1983, European Cup finalists in 1980, they signed England captain Kevin Keegan and helped make him European Footballer of the Year in consecutive seasons. this was hamburg’s golden age and subsequent years have not been as kind. Financial problems, battles against relegation — the German League Cup win in 2003 was their first trophy in 16 years. Even so, they have qualified for the Champions League twice since 2000 and reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup and Europa League, too. So they’re competitive. Not as much as they once were, but they hold their own. Yet here are hamburg’s results at Bayern Munich since 2010: 0-6, 0-5, 2-9, 1-3, 0-8, 0-5, 0-8 ... P7 L7 F3 a44. and this is the country where RB Leipzig are despised for not following the Bundesliga’s noble ownership model. Recently, Borussia Dortmund were fined and had part of their ground closed after protests during a match with Leipzig went too far. Offensive banners were displayed, items thrown on the pitch and Leipzig players targeted with laser pointers. Leipzig are currently in second place, five points off Munich and their only serious title rivals. Dortmund trail the leaders by 13 points; once-mighty hamburg by 33. Is it not incredible that, when it is so obvious Germany’s aims for the Bundesliga have produced a predictable one-team league, the fans are still resistant to the concept of new money or owner investment, as a way of challenging the status quo? Nobody protests as hamburg lose 8-0 twice in three seasons, but for some reason taking Munich on provokes outrage. how did Munich pull this off, steering their rivals cheerfully down a path towards dutiful docility? they must be laughing all the way to the bank; not to mention all the way to a fifth straight league title, scarcely opposed.