German Football 
/ Michael Lintorn / 21 March 2012 / Leave a Comment 
Arjen Robben scored a penalty-aided hat-trick at Hertha Berlin on Saturday
"Bayern Munich already showed at the start of this season, when winning ten straight games and keeping a dozen clean sheets, that once momentum is on their side, anything is possible."
After months of poor results, criticism of coach Jupp Heynckes, underperformance by stars and even a brief Mario Gomez goal drought, Bayern Munich are back.
And fittingly for a club who flit between brilliance and ineptitude, incapable of locating a middle ground, their revival has been more sudden and spectacular than anyone could have predicted, their last three matches won by an aggregate scoreline of 20-1. Naturally, they failed to score in three of the four prior to that.
The Bavarian giants already showed at the start of this season, when winning ten straight games and keeping a dozen clean sheets, that once momentum is on their side, anything is possible, so will hope that their recent resurgence is occurring with precision timing.
A first treble in their history remains a possibility, albeit an unlikely one given the run that reigning Bundesliga champions and current leaders Borussia Dortmund are on as they bid to become the first team besides Bayern to finish top twice in a row since they last did it in 1995-96.
Bayern's thrashings of Hoffenheim and Hertha Berlin saw the gap closed from seven to five points, but with just eight fixtures to play and Dortmund unbeaten in 20, they are [2.62] to dethrone Jurgen Klopp's ensemble, who look great value at [1.65].
The Champions League on the other hand feels very much obtainable at [7.4] following a quarter-final pairing with Marseille, who are somehow in the final eight despite a fairly calamitous campaign.
The 1992-93 winners are ninth in Ligue 1 and had lost six successive encounters in all competitions before perhaps their most undignified defeat yet on Tuesday away to third-tier relegation battlers Quevilly after extra-time in the Coupe de la France.
On that sort of form, it is arguably an even less complicated tie than Real Madrid's with APOEL, and that quartet are on a semi-final collision course, guaranteed to avoid Barcelona until the final.
For now though, Bayern's attention will be focussed on Wednesday's domestic cup semi-final away to Borussia Monchengladbach, who are third in the Bundesliga and did the double over their visitors.
Arjen Robben, who is in discussions about a new deal, has warned fans not to expect another dominant victory like the Hoffenheim and Hertha ones. Given their struggles against Gladbach this term, it might instead prove wise to lay them for 90-minute success at [1.76].
Currently five points clear of Bayern Munich at the top of the Bundesliga, Borussia Dortmund face Werder Bremen this weekend. Michael Cox assesses the tactical battle....
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