Bundesliga 2022/23 Season Preview

The 2022/23 German Bundesliga starts on the 5th of August when Eintracht Frankfurt hosts defending champions Bayern Munich at the Deutsche Bank Park. The 60th edition of the German top flight sees the return of both Schalke 04 and Werder Bremen to the top flight, Freiburg and Union Berlin, new faces and new goals for the upcoming season. Due to the FIFA World Cup staging in Qatar in November, the Bundesliga will have an extended break, returning in January 2023. Here's a season preview of the 2022/23 Bundesliga season.

CHANGES AT THE ALLIANZ ARENA

Bayern Munich won their tenth Meisterschale in a row. The first time this feat has been achieved in Europe's top five leagues. Despite winning the league, they finished with 77 points. Their lowest points tally within the ten years. With Julian Nagelsman plus the higher-ups at Bayern like Olivier Kahn and Hasan Salihamidzic, Bayern Munich has made significant changes that have not been seen at the Allianz Arena for some time now. Robert Lewandowski finally left after eight years, becoming Bayern's second all-time leading scorer with 344 goals and winning 19 trophies. He left for Barcelona and Bayern has signed Senegalese forward Sadio Mane from Liverpool, reconfiguring Bayern's attack. Elsewhere, they have signed Noussair Mazraoui and Ryan Gravenberch from Ajax, Mathys Tel from Rennes and Matthijs de Ligt from Juventus. Their transfer window looks to be an indicator that Bayern is building a new spine with de Ligt and Gravenberch alongside Kimmich, Goretzka, Musiala, Upamecano and Pavard. The intrigue is Bayern playing without Lewandowski, with Mane leading the line of attack. Given Mane's skillset, which differs from Lewandowski's, it would leave more responsibility for the likes of Thomas Muller, Serge Gnarby, Kingsley Coman and Leroy Sane to contribute more to the goal-scoring responsibility as Gnarby and Muller are the only ones to have scored over twenty goals in their careers. These heavy changes in any scenario would leave Bayern vulnerable in achieving an eleventh straight title but Bayern is still the team to beat and will not let anyone stand in their way.

HOPE FOR THE CHASING PACK?

As for Bayern's closet rivals, they are experiencing changes for the upcoming season with the same feat. Losing key players but for Bayern but elsewhere. RB Leipzig at the end of last season looked to be the main competitor for Bayern, finishing last season well and winning their first major trophy with the DFB-Pokal. They have kept hold of Christopher Nkunku but have let defensive stalwart Nordi Mukiele go to PSG and defensive midfielder Tyler Adams to Leeds United. So far, they have signed David Raum from Hoffenheim and Xaver Schlager from Wolfsburg. Leipzig largely has kept the majority of their players, who is good to keep their title chances high going into the new season but after losing 5-3 in the DFB Supercup, there is still a lot to do for Domenico Tedesco. There is some excitement around Borussia Dortmund this season and there are some reasons for it. Dortmund have changes sacking Marco Rose after an underwhelming season and bringing in Edin Terzic. Unsurprisingly, Erling Haaland departed for Manchester City but their acquisitions have really caught the eye. They have signed Niklas Sule on a free transfer, Nico Schlotterbeck from Freiburg, Salih Ozcan from FC Koln, Karim Adeyemi from RB Salzburg and Sebastien Haller from Ajax. Unfortunately, Haller will experience some away have found a tumour in his testicle. Despite the early loss of Haller, what can boost Dortmund's chances is the improvements in defence with Sule and Schlotterbeck coming in, having conceded 52 goals. With Jube Bellingham still around, Dortmund could mount a genuine title challenge. With Terzic back at the helm, let's see if it sticks. 

ANYTHING ELSE TO LOOK OUT FOR?

Bayer Leverkusen finished last season in the Champions League season places and despite only signing Czech striker Adam Hlozek from Sparta Prague, they have so far managed to keep him off some key players including striker Patrik Schick and winger Moussa Diaby, who enjoyed a breakout season. They may not compete for the title but consolidating the Champions League is one that Leverkusen can achieve this coming season. Union Berlin has had an incredible rise, not only reaching and staying in the Bundesliga but achieving European football in just three years, finishing 5th last season. However, they have lost striker Taiwo Awoniyi and have brought in American striker Jordan Siebatcheu from BSC Young Boys. The question for Union is if they can continue overperforming as a dropoff would come sooner rather than later. Freiburg's past season was one of near misses, having missed out on Champions League football but also losing in the DFB-Pokal Final. Both were against Leipzig. So far they have lost defender Nico Schlotterbeck but have brought hometown favourite, Matthias Ginter, on a free transfer plus Austrian striker Michael Gregoritsch. Also on a free transfer. Eintracht Frankfurt won the Europa League but finished mid-table. So far, Oliver Glasner has brought in ten new players, including Jens Petter Hauge, Lucas Alario and Mario Gotze, who returns to Germany after playing with PSV in the Eredivisie. Hertha Berlin had a chaotic season, finishing in the promotion/relegation playoff. Fortunately, they stayed up beating Hamburg in the playoff but they are very to not just the playoff spot but automatic relegation as well. Two of the most famous side of German football, Schalke 04 and Werder Bremen, have returned to the top flight for the first time of asking. It will be interesting to see how they return into the new season having been away in the second season.

 

All is set for the new Bundesliga season...