Former Germany striker Karl-Heinz Riedle believes the race to win the Bundesliga title will go down to the wire.
Riedle said his former club Borussia Dortmund will be neck-and-neck with current leaders Bayern Munich when the title is decided in May.
The 46-year-old said that Dortmund can contend with the Bavarian giants in the long term, and insisted that the current German championship is far from being decided.
I think it will be close to the end, Riedle told Goal.com. The goal for the season would be to secure a spot in the Champions League next year.
The World Cup winner also labelled 22-year-old Marco Reus, who confirmed his move from Borussia Moenchengladbach last week, as a top transfer , adding that his style fits 100 percent with BVB .
However, the retired forward feels that highly-rated star Mario Gotze, who has been closely linked with Arsenal, Real Madrid, and Bayern, will one day leave Dortmund.
In the long run the BVB will not be able to keep (Gotze), the former Liverpool man admitted.
Asked whether current Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp will be remembered among the great German managers, Riedle heaped praise upon the 44-year-old.
Why not? Juergen Klopp is the best thing that has ever happened to Dortmund, he said.
Klopp joined Dortmund from Mainz in 2008. Following his arrival, the Ruhr side finished sixth and fifth before ultimately winning the Bundesliga title in 2010-11.
