As the final whistle blows on Matchday 34 we’ll all know how each team fared in the 2014-15 Bundesliga, but for now all we can do is guess… Here’s my early opinions on next seasons Bundesliga.
Title:
The obvious contenders have to be Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, however with the right signings and some stability we could see Schalke and Leverkusen also challenging.
Personally, I don’t think we’ll see a repeat of the 2013-14 season. I imagine to see a much closely competed title, with it being won in the latter stages.
Can Jurgen Klopp keep his talented side fit and fight Bayern until the end? Or can Jens Keller and Roger Schmidt inspire their sides to new glory? Or will Bayern’s reign continue?
Europa League:
Two sides will most likely, bar disaster, take two of the three Europa League places. They are Borussia Monchengladbach and Vfl Wolfsburg. However, if any of the ‘bigger’ teams slip up, both are easily capable of qualifying for the champions league. Both Dieter Hecking and Lucien Favre have assembled good squads, but the loss of Juan Arango for ‘Gladbach could be key.
The third place is up for grabs for a number of sides. If Stuttgart and Hamburg can recover from last seasons turmoil, either could return to the European Stage. But for me, if Hoffenheim repeat last seasons heroics they’ll take the last European place, but could quite easily finish higher up in the table.
Relegation:
Like all the issues I’ve talked about anything can happen, and the same can be said about relegation. Teams can underperform or over perform, nothing is for certain.
The obvious candidates would be Cologne and Paderborn, however I feel as if Cologne are more prepared for life in the top flight than Paderborn. Other candidates for the lower echelons of the table would be Mainz, without charismatic manager Thomas Tuchel, and Augsburg who’ve lost many a key player. We could also see Stuttgart and Hamburg in the lower parts of the table if they don’t sort out their problems.
This upcoming Bundesliga season looks to be treat, one of the best in years. Can Bayern be overthrown? Can newcomers Paderborn and Cologne survive? Can European glory be found for Hoffenheim? All is to be revealed.
Coming up soon will be talk of each individual club, as well as a look at the fixtures. Stay tuned for more. If you’ve enjoyed please subscribe to the blog and follow me on twitter @Bundesliga_UK
Thanks, Alex Howell
The Bundesliga UK.
The Blue on the Danube 