Could we have a title race on our hands in the Bundesliga this season? Right now, six games in, it is Freiburg who lead the way, level on 13 points alongside Borussia Dortmund. Lurking two points back are Bayern Munich, with die Rekordmeister having already dropped points against newly-promoted Schalke and Bavarian neighbours Augsburg already this season.
Then, in the Champions League this week, neither of Germany's big two enjoyed their visits to Norway. Vincent Kompany's team found themselves 2-0 down at half time against Viking, fighting back to actually lead, only to then concede a last-gasp equaliser in Stavanger.
The following night, Bodø/Glimt claimed a sixth successive Champions League home win, this time beating Borussia Dortmund, with Fredrik Sjøvold the only scorer in the Arctic Circle.
Back in the Bundesliga though, with Bayern Munich showing some vulnerabilities, Dortmund fans are starting to believe that this could finally be their year. Well, as noted by one supporter on Reddit, the two times die Schwarzgelben have previously ended long waits to pick up the Meisterschale, have both come following World Cups.
Back in 1994/95, Ottmar Hitzfeld led Dortmund to their first Bundesliga title for 32 years, before retaining the title and then becoming Champions League winners for the very first time at the Olympiapark München in '97. More recently, having not won the title for nine years, Jürgen Klopp's team finished seven points clear in 2010/11, again going back-to-back.
Thus, following World Cups in the United States and South Africa, those inside Westfalenstadion have had a Salatschüssel to celebrate, so could history be repeating itself? Well, we are in the midst of a crucial October for Niko Kovač. On Saturday, they will take on Union Berlin at Stadion An der Alten Försterei, before welcoming Eintracht Frankfurt to Signal Iduna Park.
In-between, die Schwarzgelben will also face the arduous, 3,500 km journey east to take on Sabah in the Champions League at the Bakı Olimpiya Stadionu. The month culminates on Halloween with a game against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena.
Usually, just when Dortmund are getting optimistic, they go to Munich full of belief, before conceding at least four or five and that is all shattered. However, even before then, the champions have to avoid falling even further behind.
Bayern's next two Bundesliga matches are both tough, hosting RB Leipzig and then traveling to current leaders Freiburg, as well as facing Premier League champions Arsenal in between. If Dortmund can go into Klassiker even further ahead, that would really ramp up the pressure.
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