FC Schalke 04 made history on Wednesday night becoming the first foreign team to defeat Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. In doing so, fans are all of sudden becoming blissfully aware of the re-emergence of the Bundesliga as though after one 90 minute spell, German football has suddenly overtaken the Premiership in stakes of quality.
The fact of the matter is; this has been ongoing for years now. The Bundesliga is making a rapid comeback as one of Europe’s stronger leagues, witnessed through their leapfrog of Serie A in the co-efficient rankings.
So why is it only now, after one night, that some are only given the game the credit it wholeheartedly deserves? The fact of the matter is, the Bundesliga has been making hasty progress for years now.
The likes of Borussia Dortmund, Schalke and Bayern Munich have all been re-establishing themselves as European powerhouses, as signified by Bayern’s appearance in the Champions League final last season and Dortmund’s draw with Manchester City earlier this month, two games that both sides will feel hard done by that they didn’t win.
Schalke’s victory last night, along with Dortmund’s 2-1 win over Real Madrid at the Westfalenstadion, only reinforced the current mantra that the Bundesliga is one of the games stronger leagues.
The respective wins will undoubtedly see interest rise, but it’s key to note that this hasn’t happened overnight. German football is one that will topple their European counterparts in the foreseeable future, but it’s this power that has been rising for the best part of a decade.