Bayern Munich players celebrate with the Bundesliga trophy after winning the 2021-22 season in Munich, Germany, on May 8, 2022. (Photo by Philippe Ruiz/Xinhua)
With the new Bundesliga season kicking off at the weekend, reigning champions Bayern Munich are looking for more glory despite losing Robert Lewandowski.
by Oliver Trust
BERLIN, Aug. 4 (Xinhua) -- Rarely has a season start of the Bundesliga been more eagerly awaited than the 2022-23 campaign, with reigning champions Bayern Munich to open the show against Eintracht Frankfurt on Friday evening.
Despite having lost two of football's most effective strikers Robert Lewandowski and Erling Haaland, the league's attractiveness didn't suffer as Sadio Mane and Matthijs de Ligt seem suitable replacements when it comes to international attention.
It seems common sense that Bayern's new arrivals are going to help the league gain attention as restrictions regarding fan numbers have been lifted.
Most of the 18 clubs set up international travel plans to bridge a month-long break due to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in November and December.
After taking ten national titles in a row, Bayern remain the new season's favorites. But with the Bavarians having to deal with a newly-formed team, rivals such as RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund hope for a chance to push the record champions off the throne.
BAYERN
Julian Nagelsmann can't stop talking about his excitement to manage what can be seen as one of the biggest transformations in the club's history - the first season in decades without a traditional striker.
The 2020 treble winner has updated its squad's quality along with increasing in-house competition and the coach having to implement an unfamiliar tactical approach.
CHALLENGERS
Dortmund's hopes rest on Edin Terzic ahead of their curtain raiser against Leverkusen. The Dortmund-born coach is expected to increase the team's desire to head for titles. Despite the setback caused by the illness of new arrival Sebastien Haller, enthusiasm among fans couldn't be higher as the club announced plans to sign a replacement until the Frenchman recovers.
Leipzig increased its quality by signing German international David Raum and is said to be working on the return of striker Timo Werner from Chelsea.
Christopher Nkunku, recently voted Germany's 2022 Footballer of the Year, is said to be in perfect shape and ready to score the needed goals for the 2022 German Cup winners.
THE STARS
While Mane and De Ligt stand for the top, Haller, Karim Adeyemi, and 2014 World Cup hero Mario are some of the league's new and returning faces. Dortmund's capture of Niklas Sule and Nico Schlotterbeck is also eye-catching.
Werner, an established German national team force, is considering a return home to increase his chances in the German shirt by leaving his bench job with Chelsea. ■
