Bayern s new season preview: Bundesliga is invincible again? Two core injuries become a test

At 2:30 am on August 23, the 2025-26 Bundesliga season will kick off, and Bayern Munich will usher in the challenge of RB Leipzig at home, starting the journey of the new season. As the traditional overlord of the Bundesliga, Bayern is undoubtedly the biggest favorite to win the championship in the new season, but they also face many challenges.

1. Lineup adjustment: There are losses and gains, and the strength is still strong.

This summer, Bayern made frequent moves in the transfer market and made a series of adjustments to the lineup. In terms of personnel transfer, the team sent away many players including Terr, Koeman, Palinia, Dell, Sane and Thomas Mueller. Among them, Thomas Mueller's departure is particularly eye-catching. This Bayern legend has played for the team for many years and has left countless classic moments. His experience and leadership are a big loss to the team. Sane's departure also made the team lose an important choice in the winger position.

Luis Diaz

However, Bayern also made some achievements in signings. The team spent 70 million euros to introduce Colombia winger Louis Dias from Liverpool. Diaz is 28 years old. He has excellent breakthrough ability, is tough in confrontation, and can effectively tear open the opponent's defense line on the wing, adding new vitality to the team's offense. At the same time, Bayern signed Leverkusen's central defender tower freely, further consolidating the team's defense line.

Overall, although Bayern has suffered some losses in personnel entry and exit, the addition of new players has kept the team strong in strength, especially on the offensive end. Dias's arrival is expected to form a threatening trident combination with Olisse and Kane.

2. Injury issues: The two core players are absent, testing the depth of the lineup

Injury issues are a major challenge for Bayern to face in the new season. At present, many important players on the team are plagued by injuries. Alfonso Davis has a torn cruciate ligament and will not return until at least November. Alfonso Davis plays an important role in both offense and defense on the left. His speed and breakthrough ability are a powerful weapon for the team's offense, and at the same time, he can effectively curb the opponent's offense on the defensive end. Musiara was seriously injured in the Club World Cup and her return date is not yet determined, and the expected quit is more than 5 months. As one of the team's offensive cores, Musiara has excellent dribbling, passing and shooting abilities, and his absence has a huge impact on the team's offense. In addition, midfielder Pavlovic also needs to be on standby for several weeks due to an orbital fracture.

Musiara

Although Bayern's lineup depth is second to none in the Bundesliga, the long absence of the two core players will undoubtedly have an impact on the team's performance at the beginning of the new season. This also tests coach Kompani's ability to arrange troops and whether other players on the team can stand up and fill the gap. Fortunately, Bayern has substitutes with outstanding strength in all positions. For example, in the winger position, Olisse and new aid Dias can shoulder more offensive responsibilities; in the midfield, the core system built by Kimmich and Gretzka is still stable, which can ensure the team's control of the midfield.

3. Bundesliga: The advantage is obvious, and the defending title is in sight. In the Bundesliga, Bayern's overall strength is far superior to other competitors and is the number one favorite to win the championship in the new season. Judging from past records, in the 15 seasons from 2011 to 2025, Bayern won 12 of the Bundesliga championships, showing strong dominance. Last season, Bayern beat all the champions with 82 points, leading the second place by up to 13 points. In the new season, although the team has adjusted its lineup and faced injury problems, Bayern's advantage is still obvious in the Bundesliga. On the offensive end, Kane, as the Bundesliga Golden Boot last season, scored 26 goals. His deterrence and shooting skills in the penalty area are still the core guarantee of the team's offense. With the arrival of new aid Dias, the trident formed with Kane and Olisse will put huge pressure on the opponent's defense. In the midfield, Kimmich and Gretzka have a balanced offense and defense. They can not only organize and dispatch in the midfield and deliver shells to offensive players, but also actively participate in defense and intercept opponents' offense. Although there are certain personnel changes in the defense line, the overall strength is still stable.

Looking at the competitors again, Leverkusen lost serious main players this summer, and main players such as Wilz, Flynnon, Zachar and Ta left the team one after another. Although the team invested 120 million euros to introduce players such as Kanssa and Tillman, their strength was still weaker than last season, and the threat to Bayern is no longer as good as before. Although Dortmund retained the leading scorer Gilasi, the departure of the main player Gitenstein from the wing has a certain impact on the team's offensive system. Therefore, Bayern has a very high probability of defending his title in the Bundesliga. As long as the team can stay healthy and avoid large-scale injuries, it is not difficult to win the league championship.

4. Champions League: The residual team attacks, challenges many times

Compared with its advantages in the Bundesliga, Bayern faces greater challenges in the Champions League. Since Alfonso Davis and Musiara are expected to return until November, this means that in the first half of the new season, Bayern will most likely be able to play in the remnants of the team. In the case of multi-line combat, the team's frontcourt has limited reliable attackers except Kane and Dias, which greatly increases the player's injury risk.

In terms of tactics, Bayern needs to make adjustments to adapt to the new staffing. The tactical concept of coach Kompany has gradually been understood by players in the preseason. The team's strategy of trying to consume opponents through ball control and finding opportunities for penetration has begun to show results. When facing other league powerhouses, Bayern can increase the number of crosses from the wing and give full play to Kane's header advantage to break the opponent's intensive defense. At the same time, the team needs to improve offensive efficiency, reduce unnecessary passes and mistakes, and seize limited opportunities to complete the goal..

Figure 2

The performance of key players will directly affect Bayern's performance in the Champions League. As the absolute core of the team's offensive end, Kane has scored 4 goals in the preseason and is in a hot state. After Mueller left the team, Kane needs to take on more offensive responsibilities, and his performance will largely determine Bayern's trend in the Champions League. New aid Dias needs to quickly integrate into the team. After Koeman leaves, his speed and breakthrough ability will become the key to Bayern's wing offense. The midfield combination of Kimmich and Gretzka should continue to play the role of the midfield offensive and defensive hub, control the rhythm of the game, and ensure the team's offensive and defensive conversion efficiency.

Although Bayern may face the dilemma of disorganization in the first half of the Champions League, the team's rich experience in the competition and excellent tactical execution are still their advantages. If the lineup allocation and injury management can be done well, the players' playing time can be reasonably arranged, and the players' fatigue and injuries can be avoided further deterioration, Bayern will still have a chance to make a breakthrough in the Champions League.

Bayern has a clear advantage in the Bundesliga in the new season, and it is highly likely that he will defend the league championship. But in the Champions League, the team faces the test of injuries and lineup depth, and it is necessary to overcome many difficulties to go further. However, as a traditional giant in European football, Bayern has strong strength and profound background. I believe that under the leadership of coach Kompany, the team can achieve excellent results in the new season.