Vincent Kompany's Bayern Munich will face Wolfsburg on Sunday when they travel to the Volkswagen Arena in their first game of the 2024-25 Bundesliga season.
The home side finished 12th with 37 points from 34 games last term, while the visitors ended the campaign in third with 72 points and were dethroned by Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen.
Match preview
The hosts will have been concerned with their showing in 2023-24 considering they tallied 12 points fewer than they did in 2022-23.
In fact, Wolfsburg's points total of 37 was their lowest since 2017-18, when they totalled just 33 points and finished third last in 16th place.
Last season, Die Wolfe only accumulated four more points than Bochum, who finished 16th in the league's relegation playoff spot.
Wolfsburg scored 41 goals and conceded 56 times last term, and these records made them the division's 14th best offensive and 10th best defensive team.
The home side sacked manager Niko Kovac in March 2024 and replaced him with former Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl.
Hasenhuttl's team beat Koblenz in the first round of the DFB-Pokal on August 19 and ended the 2023-24 Bundesliga season with two consecutive defeats, though they did win the previous three league games.
Opponents Bayern Munich come into the clash desperate to start the new top-flight campaign positively after failing to win the title for the first time since 2011-12.
In truth, the visitors' failings last season were not particularly surprising considering they were fortunate to have won the Bundesliga in 2022-23.
Borussia Dortmund were favourites for the league in 2022-23, but they lost out on the title to Bayern on goal difference after they failed to beat Mainz on the final day of the season on May 27.
Under previous managers Thomas Tuchel and Julian Nagelsmann, Bayern had become increasingly defensively vulnerable, and last term their frailty at the back became so problematic that they conceded 45 goals, the most since 1995-96.
Their issues at the back were contrasted by a prolific campaign from striker Harry Kane, who scored or assisted 44 times in 32 Bundesliga matches.
Bayern's hierarchy will hope that the new season is not as turbulent as the process of appointing boss Kompany, considering they failed to land several top targets before they settled on the former Manchester City defender.
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The hosts have numerous absentees, including Mohamed Amoura, Rogerio, David Odogu and Kevin Paredes, who are all out until September.
Wolfsburg will also be unable to call upon goalkeeper Mathys Angely, forwards Kevin Behrens, Lukas Nmecha, Bartosz Bialek, as well as midfielders Joakim Maehle and Aster Vranckx.
As for the visitors, they will be without defenders Noussair Mazraoui and Matthijs de Ligt after the pair were sold to Manchester United, though summer signings Michael Olise and Joao Palhinha could make their Bundesliga debuts.
Elsewhere, defenders Tarek Buchmann, Josip Stanisic and Hiroki Ito, as well as forwards Arijon Ibrahimovic, Leroy Sane and goalkeeper Daniel Peretz are out due to injuries.
Wolfsburg possible starting lineup:
Grabara; Lacroix, Bornauw, Zesiger; Baku, Svanberg, Arnold, Kaminski; Wimmer, Majer; Wind
Bayern Munich possible starting lineup:
Neuer; Boey, Kim, Upamecano, Davies; Kimmich, Palhinha; Olise, Musiala, Tel; Kane
We say: Wolfsburg 0-5 Bayern Munich
Although it is too early to make any conclusions about Kompany as manager, it would not be surprising if his side comfortably won on Sunday given how much additions such as Palhinha and Olise add to the side.
Additionally, if Wolfsburg perform similarly to last season, then they could struggle on the weekend and throughout 2024-25.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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