[CHAMPIONS] Bayern Munich's spending spree paid big dividends as its clinched its 21st German league title (and 20th since the formation of the Bundesliga in 1963) and third domestic double with a 0-0 tie at Wolfsburg on Sunday that left it 10 points ahead of Werder Bremen with three games to play.
After finishing fourth in the 2007 Bundesliga and missing out on the UEFA Champions League, Bayern spent aggressively on the transfer market, shelling out more than $109 million on new players. Italian Luca Toni (a league-high 21 goals) and Frenchman Franck Ribery had big seasons for Bayern.
"It's a special achievement," outgoing coach Ottmar Hitzfeld said. "There was a lot of expectation and the pressure was enormous but now we've done it."
Hitzfeld, who will take over as Switzerland national team coach, will be replaced by former Bayern star Juergen Klinsmann, who is leaving his home in California to take over as Bayern coach.
"All in all it's been a fantastic season," club president Karl-Heinz Rummenigge added. "We played great soccer and took a big step forward this season."
The 2007-08 season also marked the final campaign for 38-year-old goalie Oliver Kahn. Expected to leave Bayern for other clubs are outside backs Philipp Lahm and Willy Sagnol.
BAYERN MUNICH 2007-08:
PLAYER (COUNTRY) GP-G
Luca Toni (Italy) 29-21
Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany) 28-1
Ze Roberto (Brazil) 27-5
Christian Lell (Germany) 27-1
Miroslav Klose (Germany) 26-10
Franck Ribery (France) 26-9
Martin Demichelis (Argentina) 26-1
Mark Van Bommel (Netherlands) 24-2
Lucio (Brazil) 23-1
Hamit Altintop (Turkey) 23-3
Lukas Podolski (Germany) 22-2
Oliver Kahn (Germany) 23-0
Philipp Lahm (Germany) 20-0
Andreas Ottl (Germany) 17-2
Daniel Van Buyten (Belgium) 16-1
Marcell Jansen (Germany) 15-0
Jose Sosa (Argentina) 13-0
Michael Rensing (Germany) 9-0
Toni Kroos (Germany) 9-0
Willy Sagnol (France) 8-0
Jan Schlaudraff (Germany) 6-0
Sandro Wagner (Germany) 4-0
Breno (Brazil) 1-0
GERMAN CHAMPIONS:
1964 Cologne
1965 Werder Bremen
1966 1860 Munich
1967 Eintracht Braunschweig
1968 Nuremberg
1969 Bayern Munich
1970 Bor. Moenchengladbach
1971 Bor. Moenchengladbach
1972 Bayern Munich
1973 Bayern Munich
1974 Bayern Munich
1975 Bor. Moenchengladbach
1976 Bor. Moenchengladbach
1977 Bor. Moenchengladbach
1978 Cologne
1979 Hamburg
1980 Bayern Munich
1981 Bayern Munich
1982 Hamburg
1983 Hamburg
1984 VfB Stuttgart
1985 Bayern Munich
1986 Bayern Munich
1987 Bayern Munich
1988 Werder Bremen
1989 Bayern Munich
1990 Bayern Munich
1991 Kaiserslautern
1992 VfB Stuttgart
1993 Werder Bremen
1994 Bayern Munich
1995 Borussia Dortmund
1996 Borussia Dortmund
1997 Bayern Munich
1998 Kaiserslautern
1999 Bayern Munich
2000 Bayern Munich
2001 Bayern Munich
2002 Borussia Dortmund
2003 Bayern Munich
2004 Werder Bremen
2005 Bayern Munich
2006 Bayern Munich
2007 VfB Stuttgart
2008 Bayern Munich