Germans rule, says Paul Lambert

 
Simon Johnson24 May 2013

The Premier League has been replaced by the Bundesliga as the best in the world because Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund are in the Champions League Final at Wembley tomorrow.

That is the view of Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert, who won the European Cup as a player with Dortmund in 1997.

The match at Wembley is the first all-German Champions League Final and Lambert feels it reflects a change of power in the game.

English clubs failed to pose much of a challenge in the competition with Chelsea and Manchester City going out in the group stages, while and Manchester United lost in the last 16 to Bayern and Real Madrid respectively.

Lambert admits the Premier League is now second best to the Bundesliga and told Standard Sport at an event to promote the Adidas lab ahead of the Final: “I think they’re a foot in front of the Premier League now. The results suggest that in club football and the national team.

“There is definitely the case that we think we’re the best over the years, but people have to realise what’s abroad, especially in that League.

“Even when I was there in the 1990s, their Bundesliga was fantastic. Schalke won the Uefa Cup in 1997, Dortmund the Champions League, Germany won Euro ’96. So in that era, German football was powerful.

“They’re always round about winning things. It happens in cycles. Germany was top, then Spain and England have had it, it’s gone back to Germany again. The Bundesliga is really powerful.”

This is the third time in the last four seasons that Bayern have reached the final of European football’s showpiece.

The threat from the Bundesliga has been growing in recent years as even disillusioned English fans have travelled to Germany to enjoy the cheaper ticket prices and standing areas in grounds.

However, the Premier League will be given a huge boost in revenue when the new TV contracts begin next season, where the bottom club will be guaranteed £60m and the title winners will receive £100m.

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