Five questions ahead of the Bundesliga restart | OneFootball

The 2025-26 Bundesliga season is starting with its share of intrigue and questions. Has Bayern lost its luster? Is Hamburg doomed to a struggle for survival? What about the French players?

Overview.

Erik ten Hag at Leverkusen, a good pick?

The Bundesliga is about to experience a season marked by several major changes on the benches. The most notable change concerns Bayer Leverkusen, where Erik ten Hag has arrived to succeed Xabi Alonso. After his failure at Manchester United, the Dutchman must restore his image in Europe. He will have to cope with the departures of key players like Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, and Granit Xhaka. A tough task ahead!

Hamburg, a return to glory?

After seven long years of waiting, Hamburger SV is finally back in the top flight. A historic club in German football, it had been relegated in 2018 for the first time in its history. Its promotion, validated by a resounding 6-1 victory against Ulm on the last day, is generating immense popular enthusiasm.

With its mythical Volksparkstadion stadium and intact fervor, Hamburg could well embody the nice surprise of the season. But the challenge is enormous: transforming the energy of the return into concrete results, and avoiding falling back into the struggle for survival immediately.

Is Bayern really as feared as before?

Bayern Munich remains the bogeyman of the championship, strong in its title and financial power. But the squad has undergone significant upheavals with the departures of Leroy Sané, Kingsley Coman, and Thomas Müller, and the arrival of recruits like Luis Díaz or Jonathan Tah.

Leverkusen, Dortmund, and Leipzig are hoping to take advantage of this transition to shake up the established order. The question is now whether the Bundesliga will remain under its yoke or if a surprise is possible.

Dortmund, is this the right time?

After a 2024-25 season marked by irregularities and a lack of consistency in the big games, Borussia Dortmund wants to regain its place as a true competitor to Bayern. The challenge is twofold: stabilizing a defense that is too often fragile and relaunching an attack that is too often lacking in efficiency.

The Signal Iduna Park remains an asset, with unparalleled fervor, but the supporters demand more than a supporting role. The season will tell if BVB can become a serious title contender again or if it will have to settle for aiming for a Champions League qualification.

Are the French players ready to make a breakthrough?

The Bundesliga remains particularly welcoming to French players: this season, there are over thirty of them playing in Germany. Michael Olise and Dayot Upamecano are the most prominent names in this contingent. In Leipzig, Castello Lukeba, and in Mainz, Anthony Caci, have become indispensable starters. Other profiles to watch include the young talent Jean-Mattéo Bahoya (20, Eintracht Frankfurt).

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.

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