Kagawa excited by Bundesliga title race

Borussia Dortmund’s Japanese midfielder Shinji Kagawa says this season’s Bundesliga title race is ‘very exciting’.

Dortmund, who raced away with the German title last season, drew level on points at the summit with Bayern Munich and Schalke after beating Hamburg 5-1 on Sunday.

“It is very exciting, isn’t it?” Kagawa said. “Last season we were marching ahead but now every game is important.”

The emphatic victory over Hamburg meant Dortmund moved up to 37 points alongside Bayern, who lost 3-1 to Borussia Moenchengladbach in the opening game of the weekend as the Bundesliga season resumed after the winter break.

“We knew that this game is so important, to start well in the second round was extremely important,” Kagawa said.

On the game against Hamburg, he continued: “It was a little frustrating, how often they played the ball back to their goalkeeper. But we have not given up, defended well and waited for errors, so we were able to counter.”

“I think early in the second half everything worked and I could turn it up a gear.”

Dortmund’s next league game is at home to Hoffenheim on Saturday.