What will it take for Borussia Dortmund to break Bayern Munich’s vice-like grip on the Bundesliga? Anyone with the answer to that question could become a very rich man or woman!
It’s approaching 10 years since Die Schwarzgelben won back-to-back titles in 2011 and 2012 during the Golden era of Jurgen Klopp, though they have come close recently, finishing runners up in both 2019 and 2020 before slipping to third place last season.
They have a new head coach in Marco Rose and some of the best young players in Europe, so the new boss has the task of helping them to come of age and face down the Bavarians.
The 59th Bundesliga kicks off with a classic fixture when Borussia Monchengladbach host the champions at Borussia Park, with both teams also having a new man at the helm. Die Fohlen are managed by Adi Hutter while Julian Nagelsmann takes charge of FC Bayern.
The 107th meeting between these two giants of German football could give a hint as to what we can expect in the coming season, and anything other than a win for FC Bayern will give the chasing pack an early taste of optimism.
Either way it’s time for someone to step up.
We’re expecting more from BVB and Hertha Berlin
While RB Leipzig finished the 2020/21 season as Bundesliga runners-up, I expect Dortmund to be the team to push Bayern the hardest in 2021/22.
BVB are at SBOTOP odds of 7.90 to win the title behind hot favourites Bayern and ahead of RB Leipzig at 11.50.
Of course, FC Bayern are going for a 10th successive Bundesliga title so it’s a mammoth task for someone, but I believe BVB have the personnel and they finished the last season on a high note after hammering Leipzig 4-1 to win the DFB Pokal Cup.
Rose’s main task over the next four weeks is to get his squad in match-fit shape and to keep his best players at the club.
With Jadon Sancho on the way to Manchester United, the club will be keen to hang on to Erling Braut Haaland, and they’ll be under pressure from the likes of Manchester City.
The big Norwegian was putting his feet up while most of the Bundesliga’s top players were hard at work at Euro 2020 and he’s likely to be the sharpest and most dangerous striker in Europe on his return. If BVB can keep Haaland, I think they will have a big season.
Another key player to watch is Jude Bellingham, who is England’s 18-year-old sensation. But with the likes of Thorgan Hazard, Thomas Meunier, Gio Reyna, and Marco Reus in their ranks, this is a club packed with talent.
Die Schwarzgelben’s Bundesliga 2021 results were infuriatingly inconsistent right up until the final run-in when they hit their straps and finished with five consecutive victories to climb into third place and just a single point behind Leipzig. This season, they can go at least a step further.
I’m also expecting more from Hertha Berlin. They’re two-time winners and five-time runners-up in the German top flight had a poor season in 2020/21 and flirted with relegation almost throughout the campaign, before finishing strongly enough to end up in 14th place.
Czech midfielder Vladimir Darida has been a mainstay at the club over the past six seasons. And at 30 years old, he’s pretty much in his prime as he has consistently showed at international level.
And this could be the season for 26-year-old Polish striker Kryzstzof Piatek to make his mark. The former Milan man clearly has ability with eight goals in 18 appearances for Poland. If he makes a strong start, his confidence will grow.
The early Bundesliga 2021 betting odds place Hertha in eighth position at odds of 201.00, which is ahead of Union Berlin in ninth at 251.00 and that would represent a fine season for the Berliners.
There may be trouble ahead for Koln and TSG Hoffenheim
New boys Greuther Furth and VfL Bochum will have a huge task to stay up in the top flight but they will have one team clearly in their sights.
FC Koln finished 16th in the play-off spot, but only because they took 10 points from the final five games while Werder Bremen earned just a single point and ended up only two adrift.
Koln kept their nerve to beat Holstein Kiel in the play-off but I don’t see anything other than another long struggle for the Cologne boys.
I also fear a little for TSG Hoffenheim. Following investment at the club, they reached the heights of third place in 2018 under the guidance of an up-and-coming coaching star Julian Nagelsmann.
But following his departure to manage Leipzig, the Hoffenheim side has tread water and finished in an underwhelming 11th place last term.
They rely heavily on the goals of Croatian hitman Andrej Kramaric, who has scored 77 goals in 145 appearances for Hoffenheim, but without him they look toothless.
While some of the smaller clubs have already strengthened, TSG have yet to make a significant move in the transfer market.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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