The brand new Bundesliga season begins on Friday with all eyes on Bayern Munich and whether or not they can rebound to win the title.
Bayern Munich kick off their Bundesliga marketing campaign at VfL Wolfsburg this weekend with the highlight firmly on new supervisor Vincent Kompany as he seems to information the membership again to the highest of German soccer.
Prior to now decade, Bundesliga crowns have been nearly anticipated at Bayern Munich; the membership gained 11 consecutive titles from 2013 to 2023 in Germany’s premier division.
However final season, the Bavarians, who’re Germany’s wealthiest soccer membership, have been dramatically upstaged by Bayer Leverkusen, who stormed to a home league and cup double with out defeat. Bayern Munich then capped off their worst season in a few years by ending in third place on the Bundesliga ladder after being handed by VfB Stuttgart for the runner-up spot.
Former Belgium worldwide Kompany, who changed Thomas Tuchel within the dugout, has been working to revive order within the Bayern ranks and instil confidence amongst his gamers forward of Sunday’s season opener.
“Last year they had the same quality in the team, but communication between the coach and players was not perfect,” former Bayern and Germany captain Lothar Matthaeus informed a global media roundtable this week.
“Bayern means ‘we are a family’, and this we have to live by day after day. Kompany is the coach who can bring that atmosphere back to the team.”
Bayern spent about 100 million euros ($111m) to usher in winger Michael Olise from Crystal Palace and defensive midfielder Joao Palhinha from Fulham.
They signed defender Hiroki Ito from VfB Stuttgart to shore up a backline that leaked targets throughout final season’s trophy-less run.
“I have a positive feeling regarding this team that seems again to be inspired and ready to attack once more,” Bayern Director of Sport Max Eberl mentioned.
Bayern even have returning superstars Harry Kane and Jamal Musiala within the squad, forming the nucleus of a high-scoring assault for the membership within the 2024-25 season. Kane led the Bundesliga in targets final season, scoring 36 in simply 32 appearances for the membership.
Can Leverkusen repeat as champions?
However Leverkusen, who’ve largely stored their squad intact and retained coach Xabi Alonso, don’t have any plans at hand the Bundesliga title again to Bayern Munich.
The never-say-die angle that served them so properly final season was evident as soon as once more on Saturday after they scored a late equaliser within the German Supercup in opposition to VfB Stuttgart earlier than profitable the title on penalties.
“They have less pressure in Leverkusen than [Bayern] Munich this season,” Matthaeus mentioned.
“Leverkusen don’t have to win. Bayern, after their last two seasons, not only have to win but have to perform as well. Now that is pressure.”
Leverkusen formally open the Bundesliga season with Friday’s recreation at Borussia Moenchengladbach.
For final season’s shock runners-up VfB Stuttgart, it is going to seemingly be a harder trip than their earlier marketing campaign, having misplaced Ito to Bayern and prime scorer Serhou Guirassy and defender Waldemar Anton to Borussia Dortmund.
The arrivals of Germany internationals Anton, Pascal Gross and Maximilian Beier may restore Dortmund’s credentials as title contenders though they should hope Guirassy fills the hole left by Niclas Fuellkrug after his departure to West Ham United.
