The leaders' former striker says the chasing pack have missed their chance as his old club look to wrap up their seventh title in a row
Former Bayern Munich striker Claudio Pizarro thinks the rest of the Bundesliga have missed an opportunity to capitalise on the champions' troubles this season and end their dominance.
Bayern have endured a difficult campaign under Niko Kovac, with their pre-Christmas form raising serious doubts about their new coach.
Despite Bayern's improvement on the pitch, Kovac's future remains uncertain, with CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge last month failing to guarantee the Croatian will remain in charge for 2019-20.
His comments came after Bayern hammered Borussia Dortmund 5-0, with Lucien Favre's men previously looking unstoppable in the first half of the season.
But dropped points from three of their past five games saw Dortmund relinquish their position at the summit as Bayern pounced, with Pizarro – the scorer of Werder Bremen's equaliser against Favre's side last Saturday – adamant the chasing pack have spurned a chance to stop Germany's most successful club winning a seventh successive title.
"I think this year was a good chance for other teams to beat Bayern," Pizarro told Omnisport.
"But this isn't the first season where they've struggled and are still champions at the end. Their quality is always high and they have many great players.
"They also have good players on the bench. I think that's why at the end they always have enough to win.
"There are two games left, but they have a four-point cushion, so they should be able to win the championship. But these are two tough games. I hope they win the title."
Going into the penultimate round of fixtures, Dortmund have to beat Fortuna Dusseldorf and Borussia Monchengladbach to have any chance of lifting the title, while hoping Bayern slip up against top four rivals RB Leipzig or Eintracht Frankfurt.
However, Pizarro's goal against Dortmund means his old club will be crowned champions with a win at RB Leipzig on Saturday, and the 40-year-old received numerous messages of thanks from Bayern players and fans.
"I have never gotten more messages from Munich than after the goal against Dortmund," he said.
"My goal was very important for them. Many players [sent messages], but I don't want to say any names. Players and many friends, and fans of Bayern."
ComeBackJuppHeynckes
1
Since so many fans are insisting on keeping Kovač, let's wait till next mid-season. But again, if he fails and ETH moves to Camp Nou by then, we would be stuck very badly. The situation is tricky, either way it is.
bayernbeasts
1
You do know that the players you've just mentioned have thrived under Kovac, right?
yes thiago has had his best bayern season. Gnabry and goretzka have gone from strength to strength and James just doesn't give his all for bayern
bayernbeasts
1
You do know that the players you've just mentioned have thrived under Kovac, right?
and the fact that we've been in a title race makes it even more stupid to play youths. if we really tried to play youths, Sanches would already be out the door and even Muller would start having doubts.
bayernbeasts
1
No need for him to go out if he wins the league and dfb cup yes it's more competitive but it's the title that counts in the end he has turned it around besides its not his fault he has an ageing squad sooner or later it was going to show in terms of performances, its just niko is unlucky he is appointed at this if he had a non ageing squad he could have done even better so my opinion give him time at least till mod season to see how he deals with a younger squad if he succeeds he will flourish! It's not his fault we are the oldest squad in bundesliga we were bound to fall even if we had pep or klopp instead of niko if he manages to win the title and dfb with this ageing squad he would have achieved an enormous feet beside players were injured as well so can you really blame him??
agree with everything that you've said. at least you know that kovac isn't toxic to bayern as some of the fans make him out to be
neel_varsani
1
No need for him to go out if he wins the league and dfb cup yes it's more competitive but it's the title that counts in the end he has turned it around besides its not his fault he has an ageing squad sooner or later it was going to show in terms of performances, its just niko is unlucky he is appointed at this if he had a non ageing squad he could have done even better so my opinion give him time at least till mod season to see how he deals with a younger squad if he succeeds he will flourish! It's not his fault we are the oldest squad in bundesliga we were bound to fall even if we had pep or klopp instead of niko if he manages to win the title and dfb with this ageing squad he would have achieved an enormous feet beside players were injured as well so can you really blame him??