Bayern Munich head coach Niko Kovac has said that the German top-flight has become much stronger this term which has contributed to the Bavarian giants’ struggles to reach the top. The Munich heavyweights have won the Bundesliga crown in each of the previous six seasons but they face a tricky task of replicating the feat with Borussia Dortmund holding a six-point advantage over them at the summit.

Speaking to Bayern’s official website, Kovac admitted that Bayern had made a slow start to the current campaign but they have managed to find form right before the winter break with five successive league wins. He added that their challenge has also been hampered by the better competition between the teams with Dortmund suffering just the one defeat to date.

He said: ““I feel we're the Bayern from the start of the season again, that we've restored our ease and confidence“ – and that the lads are fired up to give it everything and put up a fierce fight against Borussia Dortmund. It creeps into your consciousness, and then everybody ends up lacking one or two per cent. In total that's not enough. In my opinion, the Bundesliga “is much more balanced“and stronger than last year, which is why we had to fight. But the lads have recovered.”

Dortmund have been the dominant club throughout the first half of the season but they endured a rather frustrating end to the year after suffering their maiden defeat of the campaign to Borussia Monchengladbach. As such, their advantage over Bayern at the top has been reduced to six points and it will be interesting to see whether they can sustain the lead when the second half of the season starts next month. Dortmund return to Bundesliga action with an away game at Leipzig on January 19.