The 2024/25 Bundesliga season kicks off on Friday, August 23, with Borussia Mönchengladbach hosting Bayer Leverkusen at Borussia-Park. Last season, Bayer Leverkusen emerged as the surprising champions, ending Bayern Munich’s decade-long dominance with 11 consecutive titles.
As the new season approaches, the big question is whether Leverkusen can replicate their success or if Bayern will reassert their dominance in the league. Our 22Bet team delves into these questions and more.
If you’re interested in exploring predictions and favorites for other top European leagues for the 24/25 campaign, check out our articles on:
The Bundesliga used to be the one league that Premier League fans mocked. For years, Bayern Munich’s dominance in the Bundesliga was almost a given, with only the occasional challenge from Borussia Dortmund, who often faltered at the final hurdle.
For many, the Bundesliga was not a competitive league. Dortmund remained the eternal bottler, no matter how many mistakes the Bavarians would make.
The 22/23 season was a prime example, where Bayern snatched the title in the dying moments of the season as Dortmund stumbled against Mainz 05. It felt like the same old story—Bayern on top, Dortmund just falling short.
But last year everything changed. This was not because Dortmund finally pulled itself together but because a manager appeared on the scene. Former Bayern player Xabi Alonso became the one to dethrone Bayern with Bayer Leverkusen clinching the title. The Werkself didn’t only win the Bundesliga in style, but they also remained undefeated. They also humiliated Bayern, eventually leading to the club terminating Thomas Tuchel contract.
This victory was not just a flash in the pan; it was the result of a well-structured system Alonso put in place, and the Werkself are determined to defend their title.
Bayern Munich, however, is not a club that takes such setbacks lightly.
They have been active in the transfer market, understanding the need for reinforcements. At the same time, there are rumours that they might sell Mathijs De Ligt.
Bayern has ambitions, and the arrival of Max Eberl on the board and the appointment of Vincent Kompany as head coach signal a clear intent to reclaim the throne.
The appointment of Kompany came as a big surprise, as the Manchester City legend only had one successful spell with Anderlecht. With Burnley, the Championship and promotion seemed to indicate a great start, but Kompany failed to live up to those promises in the Premier League.
Nonetheless, Bayern’s trust in him is evident through their active involvement in the transfer market, seeking to reinforce the squad and address the weaknesses that cost them the title last season.
Despite Bayern’s efforts, the stability and momentum that Xabi Alonso has built at Leverkusen suggest they are well-equipped to fend off Bayern’s challenge. While Bayern will undoubtedly push hard to reclaim their dominance, Leverkusen’s resilience and cohesion might just be enough to keep the trophy out of Munich for another season.
This might seem like a lazy choice, but it is genuinely hard for us to see anyone scoring more than Harry Kane.
He was already an undisputed monster last season, and with the reinforcements Bayern have brought, it’s unlikely to see the Englishman slow down at any point. If anything, the team’s lack of defensive organization held him back, therefore indicating that he should be able to perform even better.
If I were to look for a safe bet, I wouldn’t look any further.
I’m not sure how popular it is – but former Girona player Aleix García, who joined Leverkusen, is a hot candidate.
Last season, Florian Wirtz was a standout performer for the Werkself, and it’s easy to see how another midfielder could thrive under Xabi Alonso’s tactical acumen. Garcia blew up in Spain where his technical level and football IQ proved to the world that he’s a world-class player, but one that can still be molded.
While he may not top the scoring charts, his influence on the pitch could make him one of the standout players of the season.
Bayer Leverkusen’s fairytale 2023-24 season ended with domestic prizes in the forms of the Bundesliga crown and DFB Pokal success.
However, emulating that historic campaign appears to be a tall order for Xabi Alonso’s side, who are unlikely to get as much luck in terms of keeping important players fit. Bayern Munich will be a short price favourite following the arrivals of Michael Olise and João Palhinha, while Harry Kane remains the best striker in world football.
However, Vincent Kompany would be a major question mark for me when it comes to their chances of reclaiming the Bundesliga title, and there would be little surprise to see him part ways with the club before the end of the season.
Defensive issues are a massive concern for Bayern, meaning at the prices it could be worth taking a punt on another side.
RB Leipzig could be an interesting each-way bet after again securing the impressive Xavi Simons on loan from PSG and Assan Ouedraogo from Schalke.
Leipzig ended the previous season after going eleven without defeat, and if they can sort out their form on the road, they could have a big say in the destination of the Bundesliga title this term. At the very least, I’d expect them to finish in the first three.
While it may not be the most adventurous selection, Harry Kane looks the standout pick to win the Golden Boot in the Bundesliga this term. The England captain settled in Germany very quickly last term, netting 36 goals in 32 matches for the Bavarian giants. Another season with a tally of at least 30 goals looks likely.
Xavi Simons was linked with some of the biggest clubs in Europe following an impressive EURO 2024. However, his development will continue at RB Leipzig this term.
The 21-year-old attacking midfielder netted eight goals and registered eleven assists in 32 league appearances last season, and given his progression, the Dutchman looks like a good chance to exceed those numbers in 2024-25.
With Bayer Leverkusen winning the Bundesliga last season, Bayern Munich’s record 11 consecutive Bundesliga titles run was brought to an end, with Xabi Alonso’s men going an extra step than Borussia Dortmund did in the previous season when the Signal Iduna Park side failed to win a title-decider in the final day of the season.
Vincent Kompany’s Bayern Munich are expected to be back in the hunt for the Bundesliga in the 2024/2025 season. With the signing of Michael Olise and Joao Palhinha, Bayern Munich have steadied their midfield and attack, which will give them sufficient firepower alongside Harry Kane’s goal-scoring prowess.
Defending champions Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, and Eintracht Frankfurt are among the sides expected to challenge Bayern Munich.
Bayern Munich are the heavy favorites to regain their Bundesliga title. They have the quality, depth, and experience they need to go all the way this season.
Harry Kane was the kicker-torjägerkanone (top scorer award winner) last season in the Bundesliga by a range of eight goals, ending the season with 36 goals, with second-placed Guirassy of VfB Stuttgart finishing with 28 goals.
Guirassy, who has since moved to Borussia Dortmund, will be among the favorites to fight for the top-scorer trophy in the Bundesliga. Other competitors for the trophy include RB Leipzig’s Openda, Stuttgart’s Undav, Leipzig’s Sesko, and Bayer Leverkusen’s Boniface.
However, given his debut season, Harry Kane is the odds-on favorite to come out on top of the goal charts again this season. This is especially the case because Bayern Munich will look to bounce back amongst the trophies after missing out last season.
Bayern’s signings of Olise and Palhinha are designed to create a platform for Harry Kane to be even more devastating in the final third.
Last season’s fairy tale run by Bayer 04 Leverkusen captivated the footballing world. Its group of stars went against predictions and conventional wisdom to win the Bundesliga ahead of Bayern Munich.
Florian Wirtz, one of Leverkusen’s shining lights, won the player of the season award. The creative player is expected to be among the best players in the league; however, a lot will depend on how Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen charges perform this season.
Will Leverkusen suffer a second-season syndrome, or will they retain their extremely high levels from last season and mount a credible title challenge?
The expected competitors for the best player include Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane and Jamal Musiala, Leverkusen’s Florian Wortz and Victor Boniface, and Borussia Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy.
Harry Kane is the favorite to win Player of the Season with Bayern Munich. The Bavarians are likely to have a better season than their last. They will bolster their title credentials and will depend on Kane’s goals and experience to navigate difficult challenges during the season. This makes the Englishman the odds-on favorite to win Player of the Season.
Leverkusen had a terrific 23/24 season, finally dethroning Bayern Munich after 11 years. However, repeating the same milestone two times in a row seems like an impossible task. Bayern are accustomed to clinching an infinite amount of trophies and by adding players such as Michael Olise and João Palhinha, they are the main favourites to grab another title.
Whether it is the Premier League or the Bundesliga, Harry Kane is always in the front seat when it comes to goalscoring. The English forward became the leader during the last campaign, and if no injuries occur, he will likely get another prize as a top scorer.
Serhou Guirassy’s move to Dortmund marks a significant step forward in his career and could position him as one of the standout players in the Bundesliga this season.
Known for his clinical finishing and ability to thrive in an attacking setup, Guirassy fits perfectly into Dortmund’s offensive-minded football. If he manages to quickly adapt to his new team’s system, Guirassy could be a key figure in their quest for success this season.
Despite having their problems, Bayern Munich was the best team in the Bundesliga last season, according to Expected Points by Understat.com. However, due to a high number of individual defensive errors, Thomas Tuchel’s team conceded significantly more goals than it should have based on xGA (expected goals against).
Furthermore, Bayer Leverkusen overperformed remarkably due to incredible luck and exceptional conversion of chances.
Essentially, Bayern Munich does not have serious competitors who could challenge it for several seasons. However, mistakes in the transfer market and management’s strange decisions regarding the appointment of the head coach could hinder the team’s chances of winning the league.
Harry Kane continues to be one of the best forwards in world football, and I have no doubt that he will once again become the top scorer in the Bundesliga.
Harry Kane fully deserves to finally win his first trophy in his career and could become the best player in the Bundesliga in the new season.
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