The Bundesliga’s kickoff match between Bayern Munich and VfB Stuttgart will take center stage this weekend as the Bavarians are about to embark on another season where a treble is a realistic possibility.
Sure, last weekend’s Franz Beckenbauer Supercup victory was a tone setter, but Bayern Munich will once again enter the season with a big target on its back in the league. Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig seem poised to attempt to throw a challenge into the Bavarians, while VfB Stuttgart and— maybe
— Bayer Leverkusen could pose a threat on a particular day.
How dominant is Bayern Munich expected to be? Well, let former club superstar Thomas Müller tell you.
“I don’t see any team in Germany that can compete with Bayern this season. Bayern will probably get a similar number of points as last season. I don’t think anyone else will achieve a comparable tally. Leverkusen managed that once in 2023/24 with an exceptional performance and many last-minute goals — but that was an exception. Of course, there are the usual suspects like Dortmund, Leipzig, and Leverkusen. I also see Stuttgart as an ambitious team, but not for over 80 points in a season. I don’t see a new Leverkusen emerging this season,” Müller told Welt (as captured by @iMiaSanMia).
Undoubtedly, that is the reality of the situation, but will it be a deterrent to the club’s hopes to win other trophies? It is a fair question, but maybe not as relevant as it once was considering what Paris Saint-Germain has done the past two season after emerging from Ligue1.
While the Champions League and DFB-Pokal are going to be big goals for the season at Bayern Munich, the Bundesliga — no matter how heavily the team is favored to win— remains the primary objective.
So, buckle up fans, this is likely going to be one heck of a ride. There will be plenty of ups and probably some downs. Some sensational goals and maybe some heartbreaking losses.
This is football and the new journey of a season really starts today.
How will it end? There is a long time between now and then, but let’s try to break it down:
- Bundesliga: Champions — This won’t be an undefeated season or anything and there will be some defeats, but Bayern Munich will cruise to another crown.
- DFB-Pokal: Champions — After putting renewed focus on the competition last season, the Bavarians need to ensure that there is no slacking now that they captured the trophy once again. This tourney might be a little more difficult this season as Vincent Kompany works his way through how to to best rotate with this group.
- Champions League: Champions — Of course, so many factors will determine how Bayern Munich performs in this competition, but the squad is in the midst of a two-year window of opportunity. Yes, there will be more pressure, but last season gave the squad a taste of what it could have and how close it was to achieving its goal. This season, it is all about making it right and finishing the job.
How do you see Bayern Munich doing in those three competitions? Tell us in the comments!
Song of the Week: “The Boys Are Back” by Dropkick Murphys
We have used this one before, but at the start of the season, it just seems so appropriate. Released in 2013 on the “Signed and Sealed in Blood” album, this one still rocks and can get the blood flowing pretty quickly. LET’S GO:
Entertainment Rundown
Grand Theft Auto VI
Admittedly, I’m not a gamer, but I do understand the cultural significance of the upcoming release (at some point, right?) of this staple from Rockstar.
Netflix has put together an extended look and detailed what is will show on the streaming platform:
It’s here. Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look is now on Netflix.
Captured entirely from in-game footage on PlayStation 5, this extended look at the next Grand Theft Auto showcases the biggest, most immersive evolution of the series yet.
“Grand Theft Auto reveals have become cultural moments in their own right. The anticipation and fandom around Grand Theft Auto VI is unprecedented, and we’re honored that Rockstar Games has partnered with us to debut the next part of the Grand Theft Auto story with Netflix members first,” says Brandon Riegg, VP of Nonfiction Series. “It’s a reflection of what we hope Netflix is becoming: a place where the most ambitious storytelling, from any medium, can find the biggest possible audience.”
Look, I’ll never play a second of this (or probably any game — not because I would not want to, but because I don’t need that kind of distraction in my life!), but I do get how this is a massive event for people and since I am on a viewing break, why not give you gamers a platform to tell us why this is either going to be the best thing ever…or a dud that was not worth the wait.
Darth Vader?
To preface, we have no idea if this is true, but some major outlets are speculating that it could be. I have my doubts, but who knows. In theory, it could be cool, but — again — we have no idea if it is true. I have kind of checked out Star Wars universe of late.
Predictions
At home and powered by an electric crowd, it is hard to envision Bayern Munich not being geeked up for this one. VfB Stuttgart is no slouch, though, and will present a stiff test in the opener.
However, this game is all about matchups and Bayern Munich is still a tad too overwhelming offensively for VfB Stuttgart to contain over the course of 90 minutes. Truly, the result will say more about the power of Bayern Munich rather than any deficiencies that VfB Stuttgart has.
Prediction: Bayern Munich 3-1 VfB Stuttgart
Other Bundesliga predictions:
- Bayern Munich 3-1 VfB Stuttgart
- RB Leipzig 2-0 Borussia Mönchengladbach
- SV 07 Elversberg 1-3 Bayer Leverkusen
- FC Köln 1-2 TSG Hoffenheim
- Union Berlin 1-2 Eintracht Frankfurt
- Mainz 05 2-1 Paderborn
- Borussia Dortmund 3-1 Hamburger SV
- SC Freiburg 1-0 Werder Bremen
- FC Augsburg 2-1 Schalke 04
DFB-Pokal
- HEBC 0-5 Borussia Dortmund
- VfL Osnabrück 0-6 Bayern Munich
Prediction Records
Total: 154-62
Perfect Picks: 24
Bundesliga Last Matchday: 0-0
Bundesliga Overall: 0-0
DFB-Pokal: 27-3
World Cup: 71-28
International Friendlies: 50-30
Champions League: 0-0
Club Friendlies: 5-1
Franz Beckenbauer Supercup: 1-0
