All eyes will be on Harry Kane when the Bundesliga kicks off on Friday with Werder Bremen hosting … [+] Bayern Munich (Photo by Harry Langer/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
On Friday, the 61st Bundesliga campaign will kick off with Werder Bremen hosting record champions Bayern Munich. It will be a much-anticipated fixture in which Bundesliga record signing Harry Kane will make his league debut for Bayern Munich.
Kane’s arrival in Germany has dominated the headlines for some time in Germany. The transfer saga came to its conclusion early on Saturday morning, just hours ahead of Bayern Munich hosting RB Leipzig in the DFL Supercup. According to a report by Transfermarkt, Kane cost Bayern €100 million ($110 million) plus bonuses and has signed a contract until 2027 that will earn the English national team captain a reported €25 million ($27.5 million) a season.
“100 million is still 100 million,” Kane said when asked whether, as an English player coming from the Premier League, the fee seems a bit more normal. “That is still a lot of money. You feel the responsibility to pay back that money. They paid the money to achieve big things, and I want to achieve big things. We are here to do it together.”
In some ways, Kane’s arrival feels like a marriage of convenience. Bayern needs Kane’s goals to win titles, and Kane needs Bayern to win titles. “I wanted to play for titles and the Champions League every year,” Kane said on Saturday. “Coming to Bayern allows me to do this and give me that challenge that I always wanted in my career.”
With that in mind, will Bayern simply parade to their 12th title in a row? Last year, Bayern Munich only won it because Dortmund failed to get it across the line on matchday 34. The Black and Yellows dropped two points against Mainz and handed Bayern the title.
Dani Olmo and RB Leipzig seem like a natural challenger to finally end Bayern Munich’s Bundesliga … [+] dominance (Photo by Daniel Kopatsch/Getty Images)
At the time, there was a sense that this was a big opportunity missed for the Bundesliga to finally have a different title holder. But the DFL Supercup on Saturday highlighted that despite Kane, Bayern’s triumph in the league is far from a foregone conclusion.
After all, RB Leipzig, who, despite a massive turnover, will be among the favorites, turned over a Bayern side that is headed into the season with some significant deficits. Even though Bayern had plenty of possession, Leipzig worked over the record champions and won the game 3-0 at the Allianz Arena.
That match showed two things. First, it highlighted that Bayern still has deficits in the squad. The record champions lack a top goalkeeper, a proper no.6, and a world-class right back. Second, it highlighted that Leipzig has done a fantastic job replacing Christopher Nkunku, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Josko Gvardiol.
New signings Xavi Simons, Loïs Openda, and Benjamin Sesko look like potential Bundesliga stars. The three harmonized well with Spanish national team player Dani Olmo, whose hattrick made him the undisputed man of the match at the Supercup. Olmo, in fact, looks like the natural leader of a Leipzig side that wants to add to back-to-back DFB Pokal titles.
Leipzig is one Bayern challenger. The other challenger is Dortmund. The Black and Yellows look determined to make up for last season’s mishap of missing out on the title and sporting director Sebastian Kehl did a fantastic job compensating for Jude Bellingham’s departure. New to the team are Marcel Sabitzer and the highly talented Lukas Nmecha.
New Dortmund signing Marcel Sabitzer has the task to replace Jude Bellingham and finally bring a … [+] title to the SIGNAL IDUNA Park (Photo by Marco Steinbrenner/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
Sabitzer, in particular, brings experience from his time with Leipzig, Bayern Munich and Manchester United. Although a less spectacular player than Bellingham, the Austrian seems to be a more natural piece in this Dortmund side and, therefore, just what the doctor ordered for Dortmund to finally win the title.
Bayern, Dortmund, and Leipzig are the natural candidates for the title. One dark horse is Leverkusen, with Xabi Alonso in charge. Quietly Die Werkself has put together a strong side and, most importantly, did not lose a significant piece this summer. Leverkusen will start the season against RB Leipzig, and that match could give a good indication of whether Alonso’s side is ready to challenge for silverware.
Finally, on the other end of the table, the relegation race might be a bit more clearcut. Newly promoted Heidenheim and Darmstadt lack the finances to be competitive in the Bundesliga. Although we have seen surprises in the past—Darmstadt, for example, managed to stay up the first time the club was promoted—the two promoted sides are favorites to go down.
But as every year, there seems to be one giant to join the relegation mix. Teams like Köln, Stuttgart, and even Frankfurt could find themselves in the maelstrom of relegation should they not get off to a perfect start. Either way, the 61st Bundesliga campaign promises plenty of excitement at the top and the bottom of the table.
Manuel Veth is the host of the Bundesliga Gegenpressing Podcast and the Area Manager USA at Transfermarkt. He has also been published in the Guardian, Newsweek, Howler, Pro Soccer USA, and several other outlets. Follow him on Twitter: @ManuelVeth and on Threads: @manuveth
