Oliver Kahn: “The Bundesliga has lost ground in the ‘Champions’ in a dramatic way”

MUNICH (GERMANY), May 7. (dpa/EP) –

Bayern Munich chief executive Oliver Kahn believes the key to making the Bundesliga more competitive is for German teams to improve first in the Champions League, where he believes they have “lost ground dramatically”.

Bayern won their 10th consecutive Bundesliga title this season, prompting complaints about a lack of excitement at the top of the German top flight. Instead, the team was eliminated by Villarreal in the Champions League quarter-finals, which by then had no other German entrants either.

“More stars in the ‘Champions’, excitement at the top, that helps sell television rights at home and abroad. And it is precisely here that we have lost ground in a dramatic way lately. We are delighted to be working with the League German Football Association (DFL) on solutions that help the top German clubs to stay in the Champions League as well,” Kahn told the ‘Süddeutsche Zeitung’.

The DFL has said it might even consider a Bundesliga title playoff to try to curtail Bayern’s dominance, but the Bavarian side have not taken the possibility seriously and neither have the fans.

Bayern often complain that they cannot compete in the transfer market with clubs like Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City – backed by billions from Qatar and Abu Dhabi, respectively – but Kahn believes the 2020 Champions League winners must continue to aim high. “Without success in the Champions League, the entire Bundesliga will continue to lose ground in marketing, and that will ultimately affect all teams,” the 52-year-old added.

“Our goal is to have a team that can play at the top of the Champions League next season as well, so we will automatically be favorites for the German championship title again,” he said.