Step right up, new challengers.
Xabi Alonso. Jonathan Tah. Jeremie Frimpong. Florian Wirtz? It sure looks like Bayer Leverkusen’s powerful squad — invincible champions a year ago and a solid second place in the Bundesliga this season — is getting taken apart this summer, while Bayern Munich has already reasserted its dominance of the German top flight under first-year coach Vincent Kompany.
If Die Werkself cannot return as challengers next season, who, if anyone, can the Bavarians expect to give them a run for the money?
A look around the league at the past matchday probably starts in Leverkusen itself. The runner-ups were soundly thrashed 4-2 by Borussia Dortmund — don’t look at the xG — where former Bayern boss Niko Kovač is making a solid early impression. Second place confirmed, again?
Beyond that, Mainz — boasting the likes of Nadiem Amiri and Jonathan Burkardt, who both scored last weekend — powered through with a 4-1 road win over VfL Bochum. The 05ers are on the bubble of the Top 6 race but ooze promise with games like this.
Then there is Eintracht Frankfurt, where former Bayern assistant Dino Topmöller has come into his own as a head trainer. And VfB Stuttgart, who rode an early Augsburg red card to a 4-0 demolition, including a fine goal by Nick Woltemande.
My pick? Stuttgart, so long as Sebastian Hoeneß stays. The Swabians boast an impressive core of German men’s national team players, from Deniz Undav to Maximilian Mittelstädt, even to Jamie Leweling and Chris Führich who have lately been on the periphery. They finished second two years ago, above Bayern, and their stumbles this year are probably influenced in part by having to navigate the step up to the Champions League. It should be a bounce-back year in 2025/26…but will they have enough to challenge Bayern?
Or…will Leverkusen have it in them to reload? Are there any other clubs that could hop into contention? Let us know your thoughts below.
