After conquering Europe, Bayern Munich plans on winning a record fourth straight Bundesliga title ù in more convincing fashion than last season, when it won by a point on the last kick of the season.

FAVORITES

Four straight?

1. BAYERN MUNICH. The club ôstruggledö in Bundesliga play last year ù probably because of energy spent on its successful Champions League campaign ù and set a record by losing nine games en route to the German title. Its quest to become the first team to win four straight Bundesliga titles is expected to go much smoother. The acquisition of Peruvian Claudio Pizarro (29 goals in 56 games for Werder Bremen) gives Bayern six forwards with national team caps.

2. BAYER LEVERKUSEN. After Coach Christoph DaumÆs drug scandal came the un-calming effect of ex-Germany coach Berti Vogts. Leverkusen finished fourth last season ù its worst since 1996. Coach Klaus Toppmoeller should do better with this wealthy club.

3. HERTHA BERLIN. By fending off BayernÆs attempts to pluck playmaker Sebastian Deisler and purchasing Brazilian attacker Marcelinho, the Berliners have an explosive attack. They should improve on last yearÆs fifth-place finish.

4. BORUSSIA DORTMUND. Two years ago, it fought relegation. Last season, Dortmund finished in third place, five points from the top. This season, Dortmund is counting on Czechs Tomas Rosicky and Jan Koller to click with Brazilian Amoroso as it aims for its first title since 1996.

5. SCHALKE 04. General manager Rudi Assauer believes the clubÆs new stadium is worth six to nine points. Such math would give Schalke, which lost the 2001 title to Bayern Munich by a single point, the crown. But SchalkeÆs squad isnÆt deep enough to handle the Champions League and a title run.

FOREIGNERS

Sanneh gets new start

He may have moved from a title contender to a newly promoted team that must battle for survival, but Tony SannehÆs transfer from Hertha Berlin to Nuremberg was a wise career choice.

The U.S. midfielder, who joined Hertha in 1999, made only 12 league appearances last season, and Hertha has been active on the transfer market. He gets a new start in Nuremberg and is the only American considered a likely starter in the German First Division. HeÆs penciled in on the right side of midfield in Coach Klaus AugenthalerÆs 4-4-2.

Frankie Hejduk was unlikely to see much action at Bayer Leverkusen even before injuring his shoulder in the preseason. HeÆs played only 19 league games since arriving in late 1998.

Conor Casey, 20, has youth in his favor, but the 2000 Olympian is on Borussia DortmundÆs reserve team.

Newcomer Cory Gibbs has impressed St. Pauli on the left flank and is likely to see time off the bench. St. Pauli doesnÆt have the means for many midseason player purchases, so Gibbs has time to prove himself.

Other foreign facts:

Of the 504 Bundesliga pros, 48 percent are foreigners.

The limit on non-European players allowed in a lineup has been raised from three to five. (There is no limit on European players.)

Never has the Bundesliga had so many Latin American players: 20 Brazilians, three Argentines, two Peruvians and one Paraguayan.

Fourteen clubs have 11 or more foreigners on their roster.

Energie Cottbus has the most foreigners: 21 on its 28-man roster.

BAYERN

Frugal Bundesliga business

The 18 German First Division clubs spent a combined $120 million purchasing players for the 2000-2001 season. To put that into perspective, Real Madrid bought Zinedine Zidane for $66.2 million this summer and purchased Luis Figo last year from Barcelona for $51.6 million. And Manchester United paid $39.5 million for Juan Veron and $27.3 million for Ruud Van Nistelrooy.

Also keep in mind that Bayern Munich, whose club record purchase is $7.3 million for Robert Kovac ù a Croatian defender from Bayer Leverkusen ù beat Manchester United and Real Madrid on the way to its 2001 European Champions League title.

According to the UEFA coefficients that will determine Champions League and UEFA Cup placements for the 2002-03 season, the Bundesliga is the fourth strongest league in Europe, behind England (3), Italy (2) and Spain (1).

But the German League, which mandates that teams must keep a balanced budget, may rank first in business sense.

ôIt isnÆt our mentality to buy a superstar every year like the Spaniards or Italians,ö Bayern vice president Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told Kicker Magazine. ôBut we have the greatest goalie in the world [Oliver Kahn], the best left back [Bixente Lizarazu]. WeÆve got Willy Sagnol, whom we could have sold five times last year.ö

ThereÆs also Stefan Effenberg, Mehmet Scholl and Giovanne Elber.

Bayern may be relatively thrifty on the transfer market ù Peruvian Claudio Pizarro cost $7 million ù but it pays its players enough to keep them happy. They earned $1 million each in bonuses alone last season.

Rummenigge believes ù and heÆs not alone ù that spiraling transfer fees will take their toll.

ôIf it should come to a crash for certain clubs,ö he says, ôit will not be tragic. It will be a cleansing thunderstorm, and afterward one will be able to breathe particularly well.ö

by Soccer America Executive Editor Mike Woitalla