Who knows, even Borussia Dortmund, Champions League runners-up, or RB Leipzig might be looking at Leverkusen’s season as an inspiration for themselves.
Bayern Munich have a lot to prove considering they weren’t even able to finish second last season, but they are still considered favourites heading into the new 2024/25 season under new boss Vincent Kompany.
Check out the list of odds for the Bundesliga winners, Bundesliga top goalscorer, and more!
Bundesliga Winners
With Bayern only managing as low as third even after winning 11 consecutive titles, teams won’t be as intimidated by the German giants anymore. Despite that, they’re still considered favourites to be Bundesliga winners come the end of the season.
On the other hand, defending champions Leverkusen will be the most feared team in the league to begin the new campaign thanks to their frightening style which nobody could figure out last season.
Borussia Dortmund, who sit in third in the Bundesliga winner odds, have a new manager in former player Nuri Sahin who is a novice in elite-level management like Kompany, meaning it’s somewhat unknown how their season will pan out.
RB Leipzig and VfB Stuttgart make up the fourth and fifth teams Bundesliga winner odds, with the latter managing a runner-up finish last season. Admittedly though, it seems somewhat unlikely that either will be able to replicate the success of Leverkusen.
- Bayern Munich (1.50)
- Bayer Leverkusen (3.50)
- Borussia Dortmund (11.00)
- RB Leipzig (13.00)
- VfB Stuttgart (41.00)
Prediction: Bayern Munich to Win the Bundesliga
Before last season began, it seemed a foregone conclusion that Bayern Munich would win the Bundesliga and make it 12 consecutive titles, especially with the addition of Kane to their squad.
But somehow, it didn’t materialise and Bayer Leverkusen were the team who lifted the trophy at the end of the season, and without even losing a game.
So, although Bayern are rightfully favourites again this year with the squad they have at their disposal, Leverkusen could cause a shock again, or a team from further back in the Bundesliga odds could replicate Leverkusen’s success too.
As it stands though without a ball even being kicked, it looks like it will be a two-horse race again between Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen, as the odds represent.
Bayern Munich to Win the Bundesliga - 1.50
Though Bayern Munich slipped to third in the table at the end of the Bundesliga 2023/24 season, they were the team that competed with Leverkusen for the most part of the campaign. However, finishing runner-up was never even on their mind let alone a third-place finish in what was an extremely disappointing season overall.
There’s no doubt that there is some hurt from the way that last season went for the players who were involved and within the club, but it’s unknown whether that will trickle into the new season or enhance their drive further as they fight for their title back.
The appointment of Kompany by Bayern Munich was questioned by many, some of those doubters being Bayern fans themselves, which only adds to the question of whether the team will be returning to the top of the table.
Kompany’s teams in his short time as manager clearly play impressive football, with Burnley’s time in the Championship epitomising that free-flowing style.
They will undoubtedly be near the top, but it’s yet to be seen how good Bayern will be with Kompany at the helm, even though they have an incredibly talented team with some good additions in Michael Olise and Joao Palhinha too.
Despite a poor Euros tournament with England, Kane is likely to hit the heights he did last season and score most probably in the region of 30+ goals if he is to stay fit, meaning it is up to Kompany and the team around the Englishman to ensure they remain solid both in midfield and at the back.
Bayer Leverkusen to Win the Bundesliga - 3.50
Not that it will be something the manager or players will even be considering, but if Bayer Leverkusen were to finish the 2024/25 Bundesliga season with a whimper, I’m sure the fans would be able to accept it after such a phenomenal campaign in 2023/24.
As I say though, that will not be in the forefront of Alonso or his team’s mind, as they will be intending to make it consecutive league titles and even show their ability to compete in the Champions League, which they weren’t in last season.
Their squad has largely stayed the same, with Edmond Tapsoba, Jonathan Tah, Jeremie Frimpong, Florian Wirtz, and Victor Boniface all staying for another season as it stands, suggesting they’re more than ready to mount another title challenge.
Nobody can say that the 2023/24 Bundesliga campaign from Bayer Leverkusen was a fluke seeing as they went the whole season unbeaten and even excelled outside of the league. However, the biggest question is whether those levels can be kept up for another season, something that a lot of sides in the past have struggled to do.
Who will be the Bundesliga's leading goalscorer?
With 36 goals in 32 Bundesliga games last season, Kane hit unbelievable heights in his first season in Germany. And if his career is anything to go by, that will only either be smashed or the Englishman will be able to mirror similar numbers in the 2024/25 Bundesliga.
He does have a target to beat of 41 goals from Robert Lewandowski in the 2020/21 Bundesliga season, but a lot will depend on Kane’s fitness after it looked to have hampered his Euros with England.
If injuries are to cause an issue for Kane, it opens up the opportunity for other strikers like Victor Boniface, Lois Openda, or maybe Benjamin Sesko to be Bundesliga leading goalscorer this season.
Check out the Bundesliga top goalscorer odds below and see if you like the look of any players heading into the new campaign:
- Harry Kane (1.44)
- Victor Boniface (8.00)
- Lois Openda (8.00)
- Serhou Guirassy (8.00)
- Benjamin Sesko (11.00)
- Sebastien Haller (17.00)
- Florian Wirtz (26.00)
Predictions: Benjamin Sesko to be Bundesliga leading goalscorer (11.00)
Bundesliga Fixtures
Like every season, there will be 34 Bundesliga fixtures played by each team, with one at home and one away.
The season kicks off on Friday 23rd August, with defending champions Bayer Leverkusen getting the campaign underway playing away at Borussia Monchengladbach.
The list of the Bundesliga fixtures for the first gameweek can be seen below:
- Borussia Monchengladbach vs Bayer Leverkusen (23/08/2024)
- RB Leipzig vs VfL Bochum (24/08/2024)
- Hoffenheim vs Holstein Kiel (24/08/2024)
- Mainz vs Union Berlin (24/08/2024)
- SC Freiburg vs VfB Stuttgart (24/08/2024)
- Augsburg vs Werder Bremen (24/08/2024)
- Borussia Dortmund vs Eintracht Frankfurt (24/08/2024)
- Wolfsburg vs Bayern Munich (25/08/2024)
- FC St. Pauli vs Heidenheim (25/08/2024)
