Is there anything out there at the moment more beautiful than German football? Seriously, think about that before jumping to an answer and you'll struggle to say yes. We have just witnessed a thoroughly entertaining Champions League Final, which was battled out between two giants of football, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. Bayern were heavily backed and the clear favourite among bookmakers and they went on to win the game 2-1, lifting the world’s most prestigious club trophy.
Since around October I've been saying that Bayern Munich would become the best team in the world at some point this year. Some say they still aren't the worlds best, but after what we've seen this year, you're only kidding yourself if you think it's still Barcelona. Bayern came up against Barcelona in the semi-final, and to say Bayern beat them is a huge understatement. Bayern tore Barcelona to shreds, winning the tie 7-0 on aggregate. Who on earth does that to Barcelona? Dortmund were unbeaten against Bayern in the league going into the Champions League final, so they had every right to believe they could lift the trophy. Bayern were just too good in the end though, and it was Arjen Robben who scored the crucial goal in the last minute.
It isn't just about Bayern and Dortmund in Germany however; the Bundesliga is packed with fantastic teams. Schalke 04, Werder Bremen, Stuttgart, Mainz, Hannover, SC Freiburg, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Eintracht Frankfurt and Hoffenheim are all exciting teams to look. Bayern scored 98 goals this season in the Bundesliga and conceded only 18. They won 29 out of the 34 games they played in, and lost just 1. Given the threat from other teams in the Bundesliga, this is a record to be proud of. Bayern recently became only the 7th team in the world to win a European treble, another thing to be extremely proud of.
Bayern Munich have some of the cheapest season tickets anywhere in the world, with an adult one in the standing section at the Allianz Arena costing just £104. Disabled fans, meanwhile, can look their team all season at the Allianz Arena for just £67. Last year Uli Hoeness (the Chairman of Bayern Munich) said: "We could charge more than £104. Let's say we charged £300. We'd get £2m more in income but what's £2m to us? In a transfer discussion you argue about that sum for five minutes. But the difference between £104 and £300 is huge for the fan. We do not think the fans are like cows, who you milk. Football has got to be for everybody. That's the biggest difference between us and England." What more do you want from a Chairman? Football within the UK should look to Bayern for inspiration about season ticket prices instead of charging excess amounts for a season ticket. Arsenal season ticket prices are £985-£1,955, compared to £104-£540 at the Allianz Arena. The ticket prices at all German clubs really do put the prices in the UK to shame.
What about the fans of Broussia Dortmund? They are simply incredible. They show you how to really support your team, and the fans in England should take a look within the Westfalenstadion. I'm a Celtic fan, so I know all about supporting my team and creating that fearful atmosphere. I'd love it if Celtic came up against Dortmund in the Champions League next season, that is if Celtic qualify through three rounds. I think it would be mesmerizing to see both fans singing their hearts out.
Lastly, German football is only going to get better next season with the arrival of Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich. We all know Pep is an outstanding manager, and with the link he has with some of the players at Barcelona we could see a few of them moving over to Germany. I predict Bayern Munich to dominate the footballing world for the next few seasons at least. Barcelona step aside, your time is up; it's Bayern's turn to dominate now...