Normal order resumed as Bayern clinch Bundesliga title

Bayern Munich wrapped up their 19th Bundesliga title but at one stage it looked like the German powerhouse would be pushed down to the wire by a rejuvenated Schalke 04.

With nine games left in the season Schalke held a three point lead over Bayern after a goal from Brazilian playmaker Lincoln condemned the Bavarian giants to a 1-0 loss on March 13.

After finishing runners-up to Werder Bremen last season Bayern faced the prospect of missing out on the Bundesliga crown for a second successive season but a spectacular Schalke collapse turned the championship race on its head.

Four defeats in five games meant Schalke saw their three point lead turned into a nine point gap from Bayern and the anticipated end of season battle became an anti-climax.

Bayern's 4-0 win over Kaiserslautern on Saturday saw them win a 19th title with three games to spare after Schalke could only manage a 3-3 draw with ten-man Bayer Leverkusen.

"We were like a tame rabbit being strangled by an enormous snake," admitted Schalke captain Frank Rost.

But that will not concern Bayern handler Felix Magath who rode out an early storm to pick up the title in his debut season at the club and has the chance to do the double if Bayern can defeat Schalke in the cup final on May 28.

For Magath, a 1983 European Cup winner with SV Hamburg, it is the first title as a manager after spells with VfB Stuttgart, Bremen and Eintracht Frankfurt.

Eight points from the first five matches represented Bayern's worst start in the Bundesliga for 25 years and many were questioning whether Magath was the right man to replace Ottmar Hitzfeld.

"I knew it would take time to implement my methods," said Magath. "It was just a matter of how long."

Stuttgart, Bremen and Leverkusen all had brief spells leading the standings but it was VfL Wolfsburg -- only promoted in 1997 -- who were the surprise pacesetters.

But Bayern reached the Bundesliga summit for the first time in 18 months with a 3-1 win over Kaiserslautern on November 20 and went on to take the honorific title of 'winter champions'.

At Christmas Schalke were locked with Bayern at the summit after new manager Ralf Rangnick took the club from the relegation zone to second after winning his first six matches in charge.

While everyone was talking about the Robert Hoyzer scandal - the 25-year-old referee admitted fixing four matches for financial gain - the focused duo Bayern and Schalke remained neck and neck in the championship race.

On March 13 Schalke looked to have taken a giant stride towards a first title since 1958 with a 1-0 home win over Bayern to move three points clear at the top.

"We have to be top after 34 games - that is all that counts," warned Schalke chief Rangnick.

Unfortunately his players failed to heed that warning and lost four out of their next five matches to hand the initiative to Bayern.

Munich were themselves far from convincing but their will to win was evident with a spate of important late goals.

A home match on April 9 saw Bayern tied with Borussia Monchengladbach tied at 1-1 but Michael Ballack scored an 84th minute winner to secure a vital three points.

A week later Bayern were locked 0-0 with Hannover until England international Owen Hargreaves struck a 90th minute winner.

It was a decisive moment in the title race with Schalke's 2-1 loss at SV Hamburg allowing Bayern to move six points clear at the top.

Bayern players celebrated as if the title was in the bag and the champagne corks were popped on Saturday after Bayern routed Kaiserslautern with Roy Makaay scoring a hat-trick.

German league table after Saturday's matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points):

German champions over the past ten seasons: