Bayern plot to recapture Bundesliga title with Leverkusen in crosshairs

Leverkusen's unbeaten domestic double and an impressive turnaround from Stuttgart pushed Bayern into third place, costing coach Thomas Tuchel his job. After a long and largely fruitless coaching search, which saw several big names including Alonso, Julian Nagelsmann, Ralf Rangnick and Oliver Glasner reject the club, Bayern chose Vincent Kompany.

Despite a stellar playing career, Kompany was a surprising choice, given his one season as a Premier League manager resulted in relegation with Burnley. With this season's Champions League final at Munich's Allianz Arena, Bayern have splashed the cash in the transfer market.

A year after parting ways with 100 million euros for England captain Harry Kane, Bayern have again raided the Premier League, spending a similar sum to bring in forward Michael Olise and midfielder Joao Palhinha. Bayern start their season at Wolfsburg on Sunday. The Wolves have not beaten Bayern in 20 matches going back to 2015.

Former Bayern chairman Oliver Kahn, who was forced out of the club at the end of the 2022-23 season, promised German football's empire would strike back this campaign. "Bayern will fight back this season. A year without a title will sharpen old reflexes," Kahn told 'Kicker' on Monday. "Bayern will do everything to become champions."

Not normally known for his reluctance to make bullish, sweeping statements, Bayern powerbroker Uli Hoeness was unusually guarded earlier in August when he tried to shed the favourites tag. "The reigning champion is always the favourite," Hoeness said of Leverkusen. "We've taken care of that for 10 years - now it's up to them to do it."

Leverkusen coach Alonso was similarly reluctant, saying on Thursday "for me, the favourites are Bayern, that's clear." Leverkusen's title defence starts on Friday at derby rivals Borussia Moenchengladbach. While Bayern may have gone empty-handed last season, recent history shows it rarely takes them long to rebound.

Only on three occasions in the past four decades have Bayern not struck back immediately: 1991-93, 1995-96 and 2011-12. Twice it was a case of Borussia Dortmund winning successive titles - in 1995-96 and 2011-12. Dortmund, last season's Champions League finalists, have also gone through an eventful summer in the hopes of returning to the top.

Under new coach and former midfielder Nuri Sahin, Dortmund have recruited Serhou Guirassy and Waldemar Anton - both from Stuttgart - along with Pascal Gross, Maximilian Beier and Yan Couto. Despite their run to the Champions League final, where they lost 2-0 to Real Madrid, Edin Terzic stepped down after Dortmund came fifth domestically.

Fixtures (13.30 GMT unless stated)

Friday

Borussia Moenchengladbach v Bayer Leverkusen (18.30)

Saturday

RB Leipzig v Bochum, Hoffenheim v Holstein Kiel, Mainz v Union Berlin, Freiburg v Stuttgart, Augsburg v Werder Bremen, Borussia Dortmund v Eintracht Frankfurt (16.30)

Sunday

Wolfsburg v Bayern Munich, St Pauli v Heidenheim (15.30)