🔎 🇩🇪 All you need to know about the new Bundesliga season | OneFootball

The Bundesliga is finally back on Friday evening, when champions Bayern Munich host Schalke.

A ball hasn’t been kicked in anger for a while in Germany, so here’s your lowdown ahead of the new campaign.

Who are the title contenders?

It goes without saying that Bayern Munich are the big favourites.

After 18 shaky months under Niko Kovac, Hansi Flick came in last November and steered them towards the treble, winning the league with a 13-point gap.

Borussia Dortmund will be the main contenders should Bayern slip up, with Dortmund in particular looking to push on with a full season of young stars Erling Haaland and Jadon Sancho playing together.

Things will be trickier for RB Leipzig, who were there or thereabouts for most of last season but have lost Timo Werner and Patrik Schick.

Can you tell me something about the promoted clubs?

Arminia Bielefeld strolled to the 2. Bundesliga title in 2019/20, playing offensive possession football with a twist, using captain and top scorer Fabian Klos as a true target man.

They were followed by VfB Stuttgart, who have become a bit of a yo-yo club but looked much more settled under Pellegrino Matarazzo and have mainly invested in youth with ex-Dortmund super scout Sven Mislintat in charge of transfers.

Neither club lost a game after taking the lead last season and will fancy their chances of staying up.

Who’s going down?

Wow, what a question. Because it really could be anyone. Bielefeld will be a huge candidate but their style could make bigger clubs feel uncomfortable and translate well to the top flight, as Union Berlin did last season.

Speaking of the capital club, they will have to hope teams haven’t gotten used to them, otherwise the threat of relegation looms large.

Bigger names, like Werder Bremen and even Schalke, will be in huge trouble if they don’t improve on last season. Bremen survived thanks to the relegation play-off, while Schalke were level on points with Dortmund at Christmas but didn’t win any of their final 16 (SIXTEEN!) matches.

SC Freiburg could also struggle after losing key players, while Mainz and Augsburg will just head into the campaign aiming to survive.

Are there any other interesting teams?

The obvious choice is Borussia Mönchengladbach. Back in the Champions League after a superb first season with Marco Rose in charge, they’re thrilling to watch, with Denis Zakaria superb in midfield and Marcus Thuram and Alessane Pléa shining in the final third.

Hertha BSC could now push on under Bruno Labbadia.

They were much improved after the restart, with Matheus Cunha particularly impressive, and can now welcome Lucas Tousart and Alexander Schwolow to the fold.

It looks likely to be a transitional year for Bayer Leverkusen after the sales of Kai Havertz and Kevin Volland but Peter Bosz’s side could continue to impress if things click quickly.

Which clubs have done the best business so far this summer?

It’s been very quiet outside of last season’s top three, who have welcomed impressive signing in the shape of Leroy Sané (Bayern), Jude Bellingham (Dortmund) and Hwang Hee-chan (RB Leipzig).

Gladbach haved moved well to sign Valentino Lazaro and Hannes Wolf on loan, while the return of Max Kruse is very exciting for the league after he joined Union Berlin.

Ritsu Doan, who has signed for Bielefeld on loan, could be one to watch.

What’s the best kit?

Home

Honourable mentions: FC Augsburg, Eintracht Frankfurt

Away/Third

Honourable mentions: Hertha BSC, Bayern Munich

And the worst?

Home

Away/Third

OK, finally, tell us who is lifting the title in May

Who do you think?

Bayern Munich are just too strong to be caught.