German Football 
/ Michael Lintorn / 14 July 2011 / Leave a Comment 
Germany defender Jerome Boateng is set to shore up Bayern's backline
"You have to go all the way back to between 1994 and 1996 to find the last example of two years passing by without Bayern being crowned champions."
Bayern Munich finished ten points shy of champions Borussia Dortmund last season - and even that only after a late flurry - but are favourites to regain the Bundesliga shield.
There have only been five occasions in the last 13 years in which Bayern Munich have failed to get their hands on the Bundesliga shield and such a disappointment never passes by without major action being taken to prevent a repeat.
That is why you have to go all the way back to between 1994 and 1996 to find the last example of two years passing by without them being crowned champions, though interestingly in that instance it was their current dethroners Borussia Dortmund that kept them away from top spot.
Bayern's latest attempt to rebuild has seen veteran tactician Jupp Heynckes return for a third spell having outperformed them with Bayer Leverkusen in 2010-11. The 66-year-old will be aware that this could be his last chance to add to the two titles that he won with the club over two decades ago.
On the pitch, midfielder Hamit Altintop and veteran striker Miroslav Klose, who hasn't replicated his international form at club level in recent years, have left on free transfers for Real Madrid and Lazio.
The majority of the big names are still there and look set to stay however, like Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery, Thomas Muller and last term's Bundesliga top scorer Mario Gomez.
In a bid to give those stars a better supporting cast, several additions have been made, with Manuel Neuer arriving in goal and his former Schalke team-mate Rafinha joining from Genoa. The backline is about to be strengthened further with a deal reached to sign Jerome Boateng from Manchester City.
Given the trouble Bayern have had finding forwards who consistently produce, they aren't gambling on Gomez delivering again, instead bringing in second-tier top scorer Nils Petersen, Japanese prodigy Takashi Usami and, most surprisingly, Tranmere's Dale Jennings, who is likely to start in the B team.
The consequence of all that is that they are as ever favourites to win the Bundesliga at [1.61], a long way clear of holders Borussia Dortmund at [6.4]. Odds of [22.0] are offered meanwhile on Heynckes claiming the Champions League trophy that he won with Real Madrid in 1997-98.
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