Leverkusen’s league: Bundesliga starts with Bayern Munich in unaccustomed role of challenger

BERLIN (AP) — For the first time in 12 years, Bayern Munich is not the defending champion going into a new Bundesliga season.

Bayer Leverkusen stayed undefeated last season to snap Bayern’s 11-year reign as German champion and completed a domestic double by winning the German Cup to underscore its credentials as the country’s best team.

The question is how long Xabi Alonso’s team can keep its remarkable run going – Leverkusen defeated Stuttgart on penalties to win the German Supercup on Saturday, when there was little sign of any easing off or drop in intensity.

How will a wounded Bayern team react and can it reassert its status as Germany’s No. 1?

And what about the other contenders who will hope to build on their achievements last season?

Runner-up Stuttgart finished ahead of Bayern on 73 points – its best-ever total – and saw a host of its players graduate to the German national team for the European Championship.

Leipzig finished fourth thanks in part to Dutch forward Xavi Simons – who’s staying another year after rebutting interest from Bayern – and Borussia Dortmund hit the reset button after a disappointing fifth place finish in the Bundesliga. Edin Terzić’s team reached the Champions League final, showing it can compete at the highest levels. His successor, Nuri Sahin, is tasked with improving Dortmund’s domestic standing.

Here are five things to know before Leverkusen starts its title defense at Borussia Mönchengladbach on Friday:

Leverkusen the team to beat

Repeating its success is the biggest challenge for Leverkusen. Xabi Alonso’s team played 53 competitive games last season and only lost one – 3-0 to Atalanta in the Europa League final. The Champions League will provide a tougher challenge this season, potentially with knock-on effects in the Bundesliga. Summer transfer activity has been relatively quiet with much of the focus on defender Jonathan Tah’s transfer to Bayern. The player wants to go with just a year left on his contract, but Bayern and Leverkusen are yet to reach final agreement on a fee.

Bayern re-booted

Vincent Kompany was eventually appointed Bayern coach in the summer to replace Thomas Tuchel, who had a fraught season after taking over from Julian Nagelsmann the season before. Continuity is an issue at the Bavarian powerhouse, which has endured upheaval at boardroom level in recent years. Powerbroker Uli Hoeneß still maintains considerable influence, part of the reason Tuchel’s tenure did not go to plan. A summer shakeup of the squad was expected, but so far only Portugal midfielder João Palhinha, French winger Michael Olise and Japanese defender Hiroki Ito have arrived. Defenders Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui have rejoined Erik ten Hag at Manchester United. Bayern was chasing Rennes attacker Desiré Doué but the 19-year-old has reportedly opted to join Paris Saint-Germain instead.

Stuttgart starring

Like Leverkusen, Stuttgart exceeded expectations last season under coach Sebastian Hoeneß, the nephew of the Bayern powerbroker. Stuttgart, which survived a relegation playoff the season before, finished second, a point ahead of Bayern in the Bundesliga. But top-scorer Serhou Guirassy and defender Waldmar Anton have left for Dortmund, and defender Hiroki Ito has joined Bayern. Stuttgart was able to sign Germany forward Deniz Undav on a permanent basis from Brighton and Hove after his outstanding season on loan. Undav scored 18 goals in 30 Bundesliga appearances. The question is how he will do without Guirassy at his side.

Dortmund’s fresh start

Dortmund had been Bayern’s main challenger in recent seasons, but inconsistency has been a consistent issue and last season’s fifth-place finish was a more accurate reflection of where the team stands than its remarkable run to the Champions League final. Veterans Mats Hummels and Marco Reus departed over the summer, as did Germany forward Niclas Füllkrug after just one season. New signings Pascal Groß, Waldemar Anton, Yan Couto and Maximilian Beier all made their debuts in the 4-1 win over Phönix Lübeck in the German Cup on Saturday. Dortmund will need to wait before Guinea star Serhou Guirassy can play after he arrived from Stuttgart with an injury.

Newcomers

St. Pauli returns after a 13-year absence after winning Germany’s second division. Coach Fabian Hürzeler has since departed for Brighton and Hove and was replaced by Alexander Blessin, who was at Belgian team Union Saint-Gilloise. St. Pauli is traditionally a left-wing club and will bring more politics to the Bundesliga terraces.

Holstein Kiel, which finished runner-up in the second division, is making its Bundesliga debut. It’s the 58th club to take part since the league’s formation in 1963, and the first from the northern state of Schleswig-Holstein.

Cologne and Darmstadt were relegated and have already started in the second division.

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