It looks as though Bayern Munich’s domination of the Bundesliga over the last decade or so is set to continue this season, with the Bavarians just a few wins away from an impressive eighth successive title. It comes as no surprise to those betting on the professional football league in Germany that Bayern are set to be champions, but it’s fair to say that this season has not been anything close to a formality, with both Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig pushing them all the way.

At one point earlier this season, Leipzig were sitting pretty at the top of the Bundesliga, and their fans were dreaming of a potential league title, such was the quality on show in their performances each week. Unfortunately for them and the rest of the Bundesliga title hopefuls, Bayern rediscovered their form after the departure of manager Niko Kova?, and Leipzig and the rest were left hanging on to Bayern’s coattails.

But this is by no means the end of Leipzig’s quest for dominance in German football. Indeed, their story is only just beginning. The gradual improvement in terms of results and league finishes in recent years is proof that this is a club perhaps destined for great things. Their performances in the Champions League this season have borne out that presumption, taking down last season’s runners-up Tottenham Hotspur to secure a coveted spot in the quarter-finals of Europe’s premier club competition.

While this current season looks to have got away from them as far as the Bundesliga title is concerned, there’s no reason why there shouldn’t be plenty more title challenges in the years to come. Coach Julian Nagelsmann has proved himself adept at coming up with winning formulas to make Leipzig as strong as they can possibly be, and so the team have every chance of further success if they can consolidate the strides they’ve made in this campaign.

It may prove that next season is a touch too soon for a serious title challenge, but then few expected them to be in contention at all this season, and yet they sit in third place in the table, still in with a mathematical chance of winning the title, however unlikely that may be. They are a club well set in terms of being able to improve with each passing year – there are no financial issues to worry about, and they purvey a fine brand of exciting, attacking football. While they may not be the most popular team among the neutrals in Germany, they have proved that they certainly have the ability to entertain and are always fancied in the Bundesliga matches preview and predictions.

Perhaps much of their future success will hinge on whether or not they can keep hold of their best players. It seems almost inevitable that star striker Timo Werner will move on at some stage in the near future, with Liverpool looking like hot favourites to secure his signature. But losing Keita did not affect Leipzig’s gradual rise as a force to be reckoned with, and you get the feeling that this is a team set to be among Europe’s best for some time to come.