The Nearly Men | A Bayer Leverkusen Career Mode

[asvpxhughuet]

Bayer Leverkusen Header.jpg

The Nearly Men | A Bayer Leverkusen Career Mode

Game (System): FIFA 20 (Xbox One X)
Mode: Career Manager Mode
Rosters: Latest Downloaded Rosters
Difficulty: Legendary
Half Length: 10 Minutes
Game Speed: Slow
Currency: Dollars
European Competitions and International Job Offers: Both enabled
First Transfer Window: Disabled
Matches Played: I will be playing every sixth match on the calendar but also incorporating a play until I win, sim until I lose twice schedule so I could play more games during a losing streak. All first games of tournaments and any finals/last game of the season will also be played.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello all, once again I am back with a new dynasty. After finally successfully completing something with my FIFA World Cup series, I have decided to take the reins of just one club and plug away for a new challenge. This will be a similar set up to the previous so if you haven't seen that I encourage you to check it out.

I have always struggled to find the passion and drive to push through with any of my dynasty/career saves but Bayer Leverkusen hold a close place to my heart, being my favourite team in the Bundesliga as well as holding my favourite current player, Kai Havertz. In this dynasty I would like to create some history for the team firstly by breaking into that top three German teams barrier which is now filled by Bayern, Dortmund and Leipzig, before taking them to the very top of the mountain and get their hands on the coveted Meisterschale for the very first time.

Another thing I will be trying in this is to challenge myself, I have upped the difficulty to Legendary for the first time and am also playing with full manual passing, shooting etc. I don't want every victory to come easy and I want something that drags me back to play and challenge myself. I've also played around with some sliders so I will post all the changes I have made at the bottom of this post.

I hope to give regular updates and will try including new things such as box scores and videos. As always any feedback, good or bad is welcome, and any ideas as well as I would be more than able to go on board with any help. Thank you to everyone who follows any of my posts and gets any enjoyment out of them as I do enjoy making this content.

All changes/sliders that aren't set to default:

Camera: Tele Broadcast
Pass Error: 65/65
Shot Speed: 51/51
Injury Frequency: 60/60
Injury Severity: 40/40
Auto Switching: Air Balls and Loose Balls
Pass, Through Ball, Shot, Cross and Lob Pass Assistance: Manual

Up Next: Bayer 04 Leverkusen Club History

[asvpxhughuet]

Bayer Leverkusen Large Logo.jpg

Bayer 04 Leverkusen

Bayer 04 Leverkusen Fußball GmbH, also known as Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Bayer Leverkusen, or simply Bayer, is a German professional football club based in Leverkusen in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The club competes in the Bundesliga, the top tier of German football, and plays its home matches at the BayArena.

The club was founded in 1904 by employees of the German pharmaceutical company Bayer AG, whose headquarters are in Leverkusen and from which the club draws its name. It was formerly the best-known department of TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen, a sports club whose members also participate in athletics, gymnastics, basketball and other sports including the RTHC Bayer Leverkusen (rowing, tennis and hockey). In 1999 the football department was separated from the sports club and is now a separate entity formally called Bayer 04 Leverkusen GmbH. The club's main colours are red and black, both having been used as the main shirt colour and with red and black stripes also having been used as home colours.

Bayer Leverkusen have won one DFB-Pokal and one UEFA Cup. Their local rivals are 1. FC Köln.

History

Origins and early years:

On 27 November 1903, Wilhelm Hauschild wrote a letter – signed by 170 of his fellow workers – to his employer, the Friedrich Bayer and Co., seeking the company's support in starting a sports club. The company agreed to support the initiative, and on 1 July 1904 Turn- und Spielverein Bayer 04 Leverkusen was founded. On 31 May 1907, a separate football department was formed within the club. In the culture of sports in Germany at the time, there was significant animosity between gymnasts and other types of athletes. Eventually this contributed to a split within the club: on 8 June 1928, the footballers formed a separate association – Sportvereinigung Bayer 04 Leverkusen – that also included the handball and fistball players, athletics, and boxing, while the gymnasts carried on as TuS Bayer 04 Leverkusen. SV Bayer 04 Leverkusen took with them the club's traditional colours of red and black, with the gymnasts adopting blue and yellow.

Through this period, and into the 1930s, SV Bayer 04 Leverkusen played third and fourth division football. In 1936, they earned promotion to the second highest class of play of the period. That was also the year that the club wore the familiar "Bayer" cross for the first time. They made their first appearance in upper league play in 1951, in the Oberliga West and played there until 1956, after which they were relegated.

SV Bayer 04 Leverkusen would not return to the upper leagues until 1962, just one season before the formation of Germany's new professional league, the Bundesliga. The next year saw the club in the Regionalliga West, tier II, where their performances over the next few seasons left them well down the league table.

2. Bundesliga to Bundesliga, UEFA Cup, and DFB-Pokal:

SV Bayer 04 Leverkusen made something of a breakthrough in 1968 by winning the division title, but was unable to advance through the playoff round to the first division. The club was relegated again in 1973, but made a quick return to what was now called the 2. Bundesliga after just one season spent in the third division. Four years later, the club handily secured a place in the Bundesliga to start to play there in the 1979–80 season.

By the mid-1980s, SV Bayer 04 Leverkusen had played its way into the upper half of the league table and was well-established there by the end of the decade. It was during this time, in 1984, that the two-halves of the club that had parted ways over a half century earlier were re-united as TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen e.V. The new club took red and white as its colours.

In addition to becoming an established Bundesliga side, the club earned its first honours with a dramatic win in the 1988 UEFA Cup. Down 0–3 to Espanyol after the first leg of the final, Bayer Leverkusen drew even in the return match and then captured the title on penalty kicks, 3–2.

That same year, long-time Bayer Leverkusen executive Reiner Calmund became the general manager of the club. This is regarded as one of the most important moves in the club's history, as Calmund ushered in a decade and a half of the club's greatest successes through shrewd, far-sighted player acquisitions.

After the German reunification in 1990, Reiner Calmund was quick to sign East German stars Ulf Kirsten, Andreas Thom and Jens Melzig. The three players would become instant crowd favourites, and make significant contributions to the team. Calmund also established groundbreaking contacts in Brazilian football, befriending Juan Figer, one of Brazil's most powerful player agents. Over the next few years, budding superstars, such as Jorginho and Paulo Sérgio, joined the team, as did Czech star Pavel Hapal. The club also signed charismatic players, such as Bernd Schuster, and Rudi Völler, helping to ensure the team's popularity and growing success.

The club captured its next honour in 1993 with a 1–0 win in the DFB-Pokal over a surprising Hertha BSC amateur squad on 12 June 1993. In the following season, in a game also known for its 45 m "German Goal of the Year" by Schuster (a goal which was later also named "Goal of the Decade"), Bayer played Eintracht Frankfurt early in the season, and, as both a "tip of the hat" to its own history as well as an attempt to perhaps upset the Frankfurt team, Bayer played in its new third colours, which were old-fashioned red and black stripes, similar jerseys to those Frankfurt generally wore at the time. This proved so popular with the fans that, very shortly thereafter, the team reverted to its "retro" colours of red and black, colours used on all home jerseys ever since.

After a near disaster in 1996 when the club faced a relegation battle, Bayer Leverkusen established itself as a powerful side, offering a technically pleasing offensive style of play under new coach Christoph Daum, who was also helped by the signing of players such as Lúcio, Emerson, Zé Roberto and Michael Ballack. Daum was later to be famously fired for a cocaine scandal that also cost him his ascent to the role of the Germany national team coach.

The Nearly Men:

The team earned a series of four-second-place finishes from 1997 to 2002. The finishes of 2000 and 2002 were heart-breaking for supporters as on both occasions the team had the Bundesliga title within its grasp. In 2000, Bayer Leverkusen needed only a draw against SpVgg Unterhaching to win the title, but an own goal by Michael Ballack helped send the team to a crushing 2–0 defeat, while Bayern Munich clinched the title with a 3–1 victory over Werder Bremen. Two years later, the club surrendered a five-point lead atop the league table by losing two of its last three matches while Borussia Dortmund swept ahead with three consecutive victories in its final matches. The 2002 season has been dubbed the "Treble Horror", as Bayer Leverkusen were also beaten 4–2 in the DFB-Pokal final by Schalke 04 and lost the UEFA Champions League final 2–1 to Real Madrid, which also led to some of the English-language media dubbing them "Neverkusen". Leverkusen was the first team to reach the final of the Champions League without ever having won a national championship.

Recent years:

The club went through startling reversals of fortune in the next two seasons. In the 2002 off-season, the team lost influential midfield stars Michael Ballack and Zé Roberto to archrivals Bayern Munich. The team then flirted with relegation through most of the 2002–03 season, leading to the firing of Klaus Toppmöller, who had coached the team during its most successful year, and he was replaced by the inexperienced Thomas Hörster. Charismatic coach Klaus Augenthaler took up the reins in the last two games of the season and helped avoid disaster with a win over his previous club, 1. FC Nürnberg. He then led Bayer Leverkusen to a third-place finish and a Champions League place the following year.

That following season's run in the Champions League saw the club get some measure of revenge on Real Madrid, opening its group stage campaign with a 3–0 rout of the Spanish giants, helping Leverkusen to win the group. Leverkusen, however, was defeated in the first knockout round by eventual champions Liverpool. The club finished sixth during the 2004–05 season to qualify for the next season's UEFA Cup.

Early in 2005, Augenthaler was fired as manager after the club got off to its worst Bundesliga start in over 20 years, with only one win in its first four league matches and a 0–1 home loss to CSKA Sofia in the first leg of its UEFA Cup match-up. Former Germany national team manager Rudi Völler, who had been named sporting director prior to the season, took charge of five matches as caretaker manager. Michael Skibbe, who was Völler's assistant coach with the national team, was named as his successor in October 2005. Skibbe turned Leverkusen's season around and guided the club to a sixth-place finish in 2006, earning another UEFA Cup place, and then repeated that feat with a fifth place Bundesliga finish in 2007.

The 2007–08 season was not a successful one for Leverkusen despite a good start to the season; five out of the last ten league matches were lost to clubs in the lower half of the table. Michael Skibbe was heavily criticised towards the end of the season after he continuously changed his starting line up. Bayer Leverkusen also lost a lot of its support towards the end of the season: in the 1–2 home loss against Hertha BSC, the Leverkusen fans caused much commotion, with fans chanting for the sacking of Skibbe, while some Ultras, who had seen enough, set fire to their jerseys and threw them onto the field. Michael Skibbe was sacked soon thereafter, leaving the club on 21 May 2008, with club officials stating that his departure was due to the failure to qualify for the following season's UEFA Cup group stage.

The 2008–09 season got off to a great start for Bayer Leverkusen under new manager Bruno Labbadia, who the club had acquired from 2. Bundesliga club SpVgg Greuther Fürth. As the season progressed, however, the team failed to achieve any wins against top clubs in the Bundesliga. Leverkusen did manage to reach the DFB-Pokal final on 30 May 2009 in Berlin, but fell 0–1 to Werder Bremen. Leverkusen finished the season in ninth place in the Bundesliga table and Labbadia moved to Hamburger SV in June 2009. Shortly thereafter, Leverkusen presented Jupp Heynckes as its new manager, who had previously managed Bayern Munich after Jürgen Klinsmann's departure.

Club Culture

In contrast to many other German football clubs, which hold close ties to their working-class roots, Bayer Leverkusen strives for a clean, family-friendly image. The BayArena has the reputation of being one of the most family-friendly football stadiums in Germany. Ironically, Bayer 04 was the first Bundesliga club whose fans identified themselves as Ultras and the city of Leverkusen is one of the old industrial cities of Germany.

Bayer Leverkusen is perceived by some to have an ongoing image problem of a different sort. Although they are a financially healthy club with a stable of strong players, many fans of the traditional clubs denounce Bayer Leverkusen as being a "plastic club" without traditions or a committed fan base, existing solely as a creation of their rich pharmaceutical company sponsor – Bayer AG. As a result, the club and their fans have started to emphasize their industrial origins with pride, calling themselves "Werkself" (Eng. "Factory team", "Millhanders") or "Pillendreher" (Eng. "Tablet twisters").

Bayer Leverkusen's corporate origins, however, are far from unique. Other clubs, including PSV, Carl Zeiss Jena and Sochaux, share a similar reputation of being works teams. As distinguished from the various Red Bull teams (Salzburg, New York and Leipzig) which has been established or redefined in the recent past primarily for commercial reasons, the formation of Bayer Leverkusen was motivated by the idea of promoting the living conditions of local factory workers early in the 20th century. In view of this tradition, UEFA allows Bayer Leverkusen to use the brand name Bayer in European club competitions while disallowing such naming practices most notably to Red Bull Salzburg.

BayArena.jpg
BayArena, the stadium of Bayer Leverkusen

Honours

Domestic:

League

Bundesliga:

• Runners-up: 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2001–02, 2010–11

2. Bundesliga North:

• Winners: 1978–79

Cup

DFB-Pokal:

• Winners: 1992–93
• Runners-up: 2001–02, 2008–09

DFB-Supercup:

• Runners-up: 1993

European

UEFA Cup:

• Winners: 1987–88

UEFA Champions League:

• Runners-up: 2001–02

Youth

German Under 19 Championship:

• Champions: 1986, 2000, 2007
• Runners-up: 1995, 2001, 2003, 2010

German Under 17 Championship:

• Champions: 1992, 2016

Under 19 Bundesliga West:

• Champions: 2007, 2010

Up Next: Contents and Season Recaps

[asvpxhughuet]

Bayer Leverkusen Header.jpg

Contents and Season Recaps

Contents

Season 1 (2019-20):

Season Recaps

Season 1 (2019-20):

League:
Finishing Position:
Record:
DFB-Pokal:
UEFA Champions League:
Top Goalscorer:
Top Assists:
Top Clean Sheets:
Most Expensive Sale:
Most Expensive Purchase:

Up Next: Career Mode House Rules

[asvpxhughuet]

Bayer Leverkusen Header.jpg

Career Mode House Rules

Just a special note before I post any of these rules, is a big big thank you to BlackCaesar for listing all of these in your Malaga career. I have got some great inspiration and I hope that you don't mind me using these in my own way to suit Germany.

Squad Rules

Bundesliga:

• All squad rules must be accounted for by matchday 1 of each season.
• Maximum squad size of 25 players.
• An extra five youth/academy players can be carried in the squad for domestic competitions only, but if any of the said players participates in five or more matches over the season, they must be added to the senior squad the following season. Youth/academy players are only eligible if they are under-23 and played under five matches in the previous season.
• Each German club must have at least twelve German licensed professionals under contract.
• There is no limit on non-UEFA foreign players.
• Each club must employ at least eight players who have come through German academies.
• Of the eight local players, at least four must have come through the relevant club’s own academy.
• Clubs must assign members of their squad ANY number from 1 through 40 at the beginning of a season, with only No.1 reserved for a goalkeeper - first-choice or other.
• Matchday squads must have no more than five non-EU representatives.

2. Bundesliga:

• All squad rules must be accounted for by matchday 1 of each season.
• Maximum squad size of 25 players.
• An extra five youth/academy players can be carried in the squad for domestic competitions only, but if any of the said players participates in five or more matches over the season, they must be added to the senior squad the following season. Youth/academy players are only eligible if they are under-23 and played under five matches in the previous season.
• Each German club must have at least twelve German licensed professionals under contract.
• There is no limit on non-UEFA foreign players.
• Each club must employ at least eight players who have come through German academies.
• Of the eight local players, at least four must have come through the relevant club’s own academy.
• Clubs must assign members of their squad ANY number from 1 through 40 at the beginning of a season, with only No.1 reserved for a goalkeeper - first-choice or other.
• Matchday squads must have no more than five non-EU representatives.

3. Liga:

• All squad rules must be accounted for by matchday 1 of each season.
• Maximum squad size of 25 players.
• An extra five youth/academy players can be carried in the squad for domestic competitions only, but if any of the said players participates in five or more matches over the season, they must be added to the senior squad the following season. Youth/academy players are only eligible if they are under-23 and played under five matches in the previous season.
• Each German club must have at least sixteen German licensed professionals under contract.
• There is no limit on non-UEFA foreign players.
• Each club must employ at least twelve players who have come through German academies.
• Of the eight local players, at least eight must have come through the relevant club’s own academy.
• Clubs must assign members of their squad ANY number from 1 through 40 at the beginning of a season, with only No.1 reserved for a goalkeeper - first-choice or other.
• Matchday squads must have no more than three non-EU representatives.

These squad rules do not apply to players loaned out from clubs, but players who are not registered in any squad or using any special squad rulings must be loaned out or sold as soon as possible.

Scouting Rules

• Players must come mostly from countries where you would expect a Bundesliga team to recruit players from. Firstly, players from German countries or German players will be given top preference. Secondly, players from surrounding European countries such as Austria, France, Switzerland and the Netherlands. After those two priorities, preference will be given to players from the rest of Europe and Brazil, followed by the rest of the world countries.
• Players must be A) scouted through the GTN or B) performing in a league and/or competition that would realistically garner attention. For example, a German 17-year-old in the A-League would not garner attention and therefore unless I had a scout in Australia, I cannot sign that player. If the German 17-year-old was the top scorer in the a larger league such as the Serie A or in a major competition like the Europa League, regardless of what club he is playing for, I can sign that player as media attention would be heaped on that player.
• Youth academy scouting must follow the same rules as the above rule about where players should come from. Most of the club’s youth academy should be and will be German and/or German-speaking with a secondary preference given to Brazilian's and other european nations.
• As to which youth academy players are selected, any German player with a 90+ MAXIMUM potential (i.e. 69-93) in their first month of being scouted must be signed. If their potential drops, I can’t release them from the club until they are 17 and/or demand to be signed to the first team, where they will be signed and released. If there is a demand to be signed to the first team and their potential high at the time is 83+, they must be signed to the first team.
• Players from the preference countries must be scouted a minimum of 3 months or their MINIMUM potential has to be 80+ before I can sign them to my youth academy. Players from other countries (etc. any part of Asia, most of North/South America and Africa) must be scouted a minimum of 5 months or their MINIMUM potential has to be 85+ before I can them to my youth academy. This is to A) simulate that a club would only want the best of the best from another country out of their normal scouting sphere and B) increase the chance of players being poached as I have to wait on them longer.
• Only two youth scouts can be in use at one time, with no maximum on GTN scouts.
• One youth and one GTN scout must stay in Germany at all times.
• The second youth scout is only able to do six month stints in other countries and can not be assigned to the same country again for 12 months.
• If there is a shortage of room in the youth academy, players must be signed to the senior team to make room for new incoming youth players.
• If a player requests to be promoted and threatens to leave and I do not want them in the squad, they must be promoted and then sold/released within a month of their promotion.

Incoming Transfers

• At no point will I use sites like sofifa, FUTWiz, etc.
• During player negotiations, players who are 22 and under and who are scouted as “high potential” players and not expected to be in the club’s regular rotation, must have 20% added to their transfer value. For example, if player X is 10 million, I must offer the club 12 million. Counter offers of a higher value can be negotiated in any manner I see fit as long as the 20% increase is maintained.
• Players who are 22 and under and who are scouted as “high potential” players and who are expected to be part of the club’s regular rotation, must have 40% added to their transfer value. Players who are expected to be a part of the regular first team must have 100% added to their transfer value. The transfer market is outrageous these days. I shouldn’t be signing 18-year-old world beating first team regulars for 10 million.
• I can only sign one player per season on a free contract in January. However, the player must either be A) under the average overall of the players at that position or B) a crucial first team player.
• I can sign players for bargains in the final season of their contract. This extends to players under 22, but the percentage increase must be accounted for.
• I can match any player's release clause, but if the release clause is below the player's transfer value, 100% must be added.
• I will delegate all transfer dealings to simulate having a sporting director.

Outgoing Transfers

• I can only force crucial and important first team players to stay by pricing them out of a move.
• I can haggle with squad rotation players’ prices, but I cannot price them out of a move.
• If a bid comes in above 50 percent of a player under squad rotation’s value, I must sell them. No exceptions.

Player Exchanges

• Player exchange transfers will be kept to a minimum.
• If a young player is transferred as part of a player exchange and I would like to bring them back, I can at 150% of their value.

These rules will be changed and updated as need be and I will point any changes that have been made if I think of something or if any of them need tweaking. Once again huge shoutout to BlackCaesar these are legendary and so helpful I really appreciate you putting out your hard work for others to see!

Up Next: 2018-19 Bundesliga Review

[asvpxhughuet]

Bundesliga 2018-19.jpg

2018-19 Bundesliga Review

The 2018–19 Bundesliga was the 56th season of the Bundesliga, Germany's premier football competition. It began on 24 August 2018 and concluded on 18 May 2019. It also marked the first season without Hamburger SV, previously the only team to have played in the top tier of German football in every season since the end of World War I.

Following a trial phase in the previous season, the video assistant referee system was officially approved for use in the Bundesliga after being added to the Laws of the Game by IFAB.

Bayern Munich were the defending champions, and won their 28th Bundesliga title (and 29th German title) and seventh consecutive Bundesliga on the final matchday.

Promoted from 2017-18 2. Bundesliga:

• Fortuna Dusseldorf
• 1. FC Nurnberg

Relegated from 2017-18 Bundesliga:

• 1. FC Koln
• Hamburger SV

League Table

2018-19 Bundesliga Table.png

1-4 qualify for UEFA Champions League, 5-6 qualify for UEFA Europa League, 7 qualifies to Europa League second qualifying round, 16 qualify for relegation play-offs, 17-18 relegated.

Relegation play-offs

First Leg: VfB Stuttgart vs Union Berlin, Draw 2-2
Second Leg: Union Berlin vs VfB Stuttgart, Draw 0-0

2–2 on aggregate. Union Berlin won on away goals and are promoted to the Bundesliga, while VfB Stuttgart are relegated to the 2. Bundesliga.

Statistics

Top Scorers:

1. Robert Lewandowski, Bayern Munich, 22
2. Paco Alcacer, Borussia Dortmund, 18
=3. Kai Havertz, Bayer Leverkusen, 17
=3. Luka Jovic, Eintracht Frankfurt, 17
=3. Andrej Kramaric, 1899 Hoffenheim, 17
=3. Marco Reus, Borussia Dortmund, 17
=3. Wout Weghorst, VfL Wolfsburg, 17
=8. Ishak Belfodil, 1899 Hoffenheim, 16
=8. Timo Werner, RB Leipzig, 16
=10. Sebastien Haller, Eintracht Frankfurt, 15
=10. Yussuf Poulsen, RB Leipzig, 15

Top Assists:

1. Jadon Sancho, Borussia Dortmund, 18
2. Joshua Kimmich, Bayern Munich, 16
3. Julian Brandt, Bayer Leverkusen, 15
=4. Filip Kostic, Eintracht Frankfurt, 12
=4. Robert Lewandowski, Bayern Munich, 12
=4. Thomas Muller, Bayern Munich, 12
=4. Marco Reus, Borussia Dortmund, 12
=4. Kevin Volland, Bayer Leverkusen, 12
=9. Thorgan Hazard, Borussia Monchengladbach, 11
=9. Max Kruse, Werder Bremen, 11

Clean Sheets:

1. Peter Gulacsi, RB Leipzig, 16
2. Yann Sommer, Borussia Monchengladbach, 13
=3. Roman Burki, Borussia Dortmund, 10
=3. Manuel Neuer, Bayern Munich, 10
5. Lukas Hradecky, Bayer Leverkusen, 9
=6. Koen Casteels, VfL Wolfsburg, 8
=6. Rune Jarstein, Hertha BSC, 8
=6. Kevin Trapp, Eintracht Frankfurt, 8
9. Ron-Robert Zieler, VfB Stuttgart, 6

Player of the Month:

September: Marco Reus, Borussia Dortmund
October: Jadon Sancho, Borussia Dortmund
November: Marco Reus, Borussia Dortmund
December: Marco Reus, Borussia Dortmund
January: Leon Goretzka, Bayern Munich
February: Julian Brandt, Bayer Leverkusen
March: Max Kruse, Werder Bremen
April: Kai Havertz, Bayer Leverkusen
May: Kai Havertz, Bayer Leverkusen

Other Competitions

DFL-Supercup: Eintracht Frankfurt def. by Bayern Munich 0-5
3. Liga: VfL Osnabruck (22/10/6, 76 PTS)
2. Bundesliga: 1. FC Koln (19/6/9, 63 PTS)
DFB-Pokal: RB Leipzig def. by Bayern Munich 0-3

[asvpxhughuet]

Bundesliga News Logo.jpg

Bosz Out, Favourite Son In: Bayer Leverkusen's Manager Carousel

Big news has come through this morning that Peter Bosz, the man who turned a lacklustre 2018-19 Bayer teams' fortunes around, has been dismissed as the manager of Die Werkself. Bosz, who turned 9th place Leverkusen into a Champions League team, losing only five of their 17 matches in the Bundesliga as manager, was given his marching orders this morning just before teams start their preseason schedule for the beginning of a new cycle.

A lot of speculation has circled the last few hours about who will be named as the next man to lead the squad with many names being thrown across including German national coach Joachim Low and even former star striker Stefan Kießling.

Bosz looked to have set himself and the team up nicely for the future bringing some big names just before his release such as Kerem Demirbay, Moussa Diaby, Nadiem Amiri and Exequiel Palacios, before just pulling the trigger on Burkinabe defender Edmond Tapbosa hours before his departure. All things looked up for the club and players with no complaints heard in the media but the head of the club as a whole decided it was time for a facelift.

Peter Bosz.jpg
On the way out: Former Leverkusen boss Peter Bosz.

Sports Director Rudi Voller stated "the club are looking to turn their fortunes around and a fresh start is the key", before talking about what they want to see in future years. "The aim is to break into the highly regarded top three, before challenging for titles and eventually going the distance in Europe. With the squad we have and the way we are gaining players, we believe anything is possible."

The teams' social media then started dropping hints in the hours leading up to the reveal, with it being confirmed the new manager was a former player and captain for his nation, which had narrowed down the pool to almost only one.

The afternoon had come and any follower or fan of the team had a slight idea who was on their way in, before it was confirmed that the new manager would indeed be former Leverkusen star and German captain Michael Ballack. A star on the big stage and definitely a leader in his own way, Ballack was described by the club as the perfect man to turn their nearly ways into a more successful winning resume.

Michael Ballack.jpg
Bayer Leverkusen's new manager Michael Ballack, who has returned home to manage his former club.

This comes after lots of speculation of if Ballack would return to another of his former clubs, Chelsea, to join the coaching ranks with former teammate Frank Lampard, as the two were seen together as well as the German recently going for and completing his UEFA coaching courses in Wales. In a way the former German international looks perfect for the job as he is aware of what winning and second place both feel like and he is not too old or young to understand the squad. A major key in his management of the team will be keeping young star Kai Havertz, who has been compared to his new manager multiple times throughout his short but already star-studded career.

Ballack wasn't given much speaking time but he did give out some key messages including turning Bayer into another German powerhouse, becoming a team that doesn't only produce young up and comers but also a club to lure some of the biggest names. He said his main goals were to keep his star talent including King Kai, as well as continually break ceilings each season, starting with the Bundesliga top three. Before he was cut off, Ballack also spoke about his desire to coach at the international level as well, either for his home nation or a country "like home", as it was described.

Although the season is still over a month away big news is starting to fire up and although this isn't player related, we could be in for a massive season here in Germany. The big question though from all this news is simple, is Bayer Leverkusen's future brighter than ever?

[asvpxhughuet]

Bayer Leverkusen Header.jpg

Bayer 04 Leverkusen 2019-20 Squad Preview

The 2019–20 Bayer 04 Leverkusen season is the 116th season in the football club's history and 41st consecutive and overall season in the top flight of German football, the Bundesliga, having been promoted from the 2. Bundesliga Nord in 1979. In addition to the domestic league, Bayer Leverkusen also are participating in this season's editions of the domestic cup, the DFB-Pokal, and the top-tier continental cup, the UEFA Champions League. This is the 61st season for Leverkusen in the BayArena, located in Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The season covers a period from 1 July 2019 to August 2020.

Club Staff

Owner: Bayer AG
Administration: Fernando Carro (CEO), Rudi Voller (Managing Sports Director)
Club Director: Michael Schade
Manager: Michael Ballack
Captain: Lars Bender
Vice-Captain: Kevin Volland
Third Captain: Kai Havertz

Transfers

Transfer data is sorted in the following format:
Player (Nationality), Position, Club From/To, Fee, Date

Transfers in:

Kerem Demirbay (Germany), MF, 1899 Hoffenheim, $32 million, 9 May 2019
Moussa Diaby (France), MF, Paris Saint-Germain, $15 million, 14 June 2019
Daley Sinkgraven (Netherlands), DF, Ajax, $5 million, 17 June 2019
Nadiem Amiri (Germany), MF, 1899 Hoffenheim, $9 million, 30 June 2019
Exequiel Palacios (Argentina), MF, River Plate, $21.5 million, 30 June 2019
Edmond Tapbosa (Burkina Faso), DF, Vitoria de Guimaraes, $18 million, 1 July 2019

Total incoming spend: $100.5 million

Loans in:

Nil

Transfers out:

Julian Brandt (Germany), FW, Borussia Dortmund, $25 million, 22 May 2019
Thorsten Kirschbaum (Germany), GK, VVV-Venlo, Free, 27 May 2019
Sam Schreck (Germany), MF, FC Groningen, Undisclosed, 1 June 2019
Dominik Kohr (Germany), MF, Eintracht Frankfurt, $8.5 million, 3 June 2019
Jan Boller (Germany), MF, LASK, Undisclosed, 1 July 2019
Tomasz Kucz (Poland), GK, Vitoria de Guimaraes, Free, 1 July 2019

Total outgoing received: $33.5 million

Loans out:

Tin Jedvaj (Croatia), DF, FC Augsburg, 1 July 2019 (exp. 30 June 2020)
Joel Pohjanpalo (Finland), FW, Hamburger SV, 1 July 2019 (exp. 30 June 2020)
Panagiotis Retsos (Greece), DF, Sheffield United, 1 July 2019 (exp. 30 June 2020)

Players

Players data is sorted in the following format:
Number, Name (Country), Position(s), Age, Overall, Previous Club (Year Joined B04)

Goalkeepers:

1. Lukas Hradecky (Finland), GK, 29yo, 83 OVR, Eintracht Frankfurt (2018)
28. Ramazan Ozcan, (Austria), GK, 35yo, 73 OVR, Ingolstadt (2016)
36. Niklas Lomb (Germany), GK, 25yo, 68 OVR, Bayer Leverkusen II (2014)

Defenders:

4. Jonathan Tah (Germany), CB, 23yo, 81 OVR, Hamburger SV (2015)
5. Sven Bender (Germany), CB/CDM, 30yo, 81 OVR, Borussia Dortmund (2017)
6. Aleksandar Dragovic (Austria), DF, 28yo, 76 OVR, Dynamo Kyiv (2016)
8. Lars Bender (Germany), RB/CDM/CM, 30yo, 81 OVR, 1860 Munich (2009)
12. Edmond Tapbosa (Burkina Faso), CB, 20yo, 76 OVR, Vitoria Guimaraes (2019)
18. Wendell (Brazil), LB, 25yo, 77 OVR, Gremio (2014)
22. Daley Sinkgraven (Netherlands), LB/CM, 23yo, 75 OVR, Ajax (2019)
23. Mitchell Weiser (Germany), RB/RM, 25yo, 76 OVR, Hertha BSC (2018)

Midfielders:

7. Paulinho (Brazil), RM/CAM, 18yo, 74 OVR, Vasco da Gama (2018)
9. Leon Bailey (Jamaica), LM/RM, 21yo, 81 OVR, Genk (2017)
10. Kerem Demirbay (Germany), CM, 25yo, 81 OVR, 1899 Hoffenheim (2019)
11. Nadiem Amiri (Germany), CAM/CM, 22yo, 79 OVR, 1899 Hoffenheim (2019)
15. Julian Baumgartlinger (Austria), CDM, 31yo, 78 OVR, Mainz 05 (2016)
19. Moussa Diaby (France), LM, 19yo, 78 OVR, Paris Saint-Germain (2019)
20. Charles Aranguiz (Chile), CM/CDM, 30yo, 83 OVR, Internacional (2015)
25. Exequiel Palacios (Argentina), CM/RM/CAM, 20yo, 78 OVR, River Plate (2019)
29. Kai Havertz (Germany), CAM/RM, 20yo, 84 OVR, Bayer Leverkusen Academy (2017)
38. Karim Bellarabi (Germany), RM, 29yo, 82 OVR, Bayer Leverkusen II (2012)

Forwards:

13. Lucas Alario (Argentina), ST, 26yo, 79 OVR, River Plate (2017)
31. Kevin Volland (Germany), ST/RW/LW, 26yo, 82 OVR, 1899 Hoffenheim (2016)

Under-23s and academy players with senior squad numbers:

30. Adrian Stanilewicz (Poland), CM/LB/CDM, 19yo, 64 OVR, Bayer Leverkusen Academy (2018)

Out on Loan:

3. Panagiotis Retsos (Greece), CB/RB/LB, 20yo, 75 OVR, Olympiakos (2017), (On Loan at Sheffield United)
16. Tin Jedvaj (Croatia), CB/RB/LB, 23yo, 75 OVR, Roma (2014), (On Loan at FC Augsburg)
17. Joel Pohjanpalo (Finland), ST, 24yo, 72 OVR, HJK Helsinki (2013), (On Loan at Hamburg)

Squad Restriction Players:

Note: Players in italics are German academy players (min. 8), players in bold are Leverkusen academy players (min. 4).

German licensed professionals (minimum of 12):

• Jonathan Tah
• Sven Bender
• Lars Bender
• Kerem Demirbay
• Nadiem Amiri
• Mitchell Weiser
• Kai Havertz
• Kevin Volland
• Niklas Lomb
• Karim Bellarabi

Non-German licensed professionals:

• Julian Baumgartlinger (Austria)
• Adrian Stanilewicz (Poland)

Note 2: Bayer Leverkusen were given a single exemption to their German professional and Leverkusen academy lists for the 2019-20 season due to unfortunate circumstances surrounding former player Florian Wirtz.

Projected Starting XI:

• Hradecky; L. Bender (c), Tah, S. Bender, Wendell; Aranguiz, Demirbay; Bellarabi, Havertz, Bailey; Volland

[asvpxhughuet]

2019-20 Bundesliga Preview.jpg

2019-20 Bundesliga Season Preview

The 2019–20 Bundesliga is the 57th season of the Bundesliga, Germany's premier football competition. It began on 16 August 2019 and will conclude on 27 June 2020. Bayern Munich are the defending champions.

The number of substitutes allowed on the bench was increased from seven to nine for the 2019–20 season.

Promoted from 2018-19 2. Bundesliga:

• 1. FC Koln
• SC Paderborn
• Union Berlin

Relegated from 2018-19 Bundesliga:

• VfB Stuttgart
• Hannover 96
• 1. FC Nurnberg

Team Previews

FC Augsburg:

Stadium: WWK Arena
Manager: Heiko Herrlich
Captain: Daniel Baier
Last Season Finish: 15th
Predicted Finish: 16th
Bundesliga Titles: 0
Key Player: Alfreð Finnbogason

Hertha BSC:

Stadium: Olympiastadion
Manager: Bruno Labbadia
Captain: Vedad Ibisevic
Last Season Finish: 11th
Predicted Finish: 10th
Bundesliga Titles: 2
Key Player: Rune Jarstein

Union Berlin:

Stadium: Stadion An der Alten Försterei
Manager: Urs Fischer
Captain: Christopher Trimmel
Last Season Finish: 3rd in 2. Bundesliga (won relegation play-off)
Predicted Finish: 17th
Bundesliga Titles: 0
Key Player: Neven Subotic

Werder Bremen:

Stadium: Wohninvest Weserstadion
Manager: Florian Kohfeldt
Captain: Niklas Moisander
Last Season Finish: 8th
Predicted Finish: 7th
Bundesliga Titles: 4
Key Player: Milot Rashica

Borussia Dortmund:

Stadium: Signal Iduna Park
Manager: Lucien Favre
Captain: Marco Reus
Last Season Finish: 2nd
Predicted Finish: 2nd
Bundesliga Titles: 8
Key Player: Jadon Sancho

Fortuna Dusseldorf:

Stadium: Merkur Spiel-Arena
Manager: Uwe Rosler
Captain: Oliver Fink
Last Season Finish: 10th
Predicted Finish: 13th
Bundesliga Titles: 1
Key Player: Kaan Ayhan

Eintracht Frankfurt:

Stadium: Commerzbank-Arena
Manager: Adi Hutter
Captain: David Abraham
Last Season Finish: 7th
Predicted Finish: 9th
Bundesliga Titles: 1
Key Player: Filip Kostic

SC Freiburg:

Stadium: Schwarzwald-Stadion
Manager: Christian Streich
Captain: Mike Frantz
Last Season Finish: 13th
Predicted Finish: 14th
Bundesliga Titles: 0
Key Player: Robin Koch

1899 Hoffenheim:

Stadium: PreZero Arena
Manager: Matthias Kaltenbach
Captain: Benjamin Hubner
Last Season Finish: 9th
Predicted Finish: 8th
Bundesliga Titles: 0
Key Player: Andrej Kramaric

1. FC Koln:

Stadium: RheinEnergieStadion
Manager: Markus Gisdol
Captain: Jonas Hector
Last Season Finish: 1st in 2. Bundesliga
Predicted Finish: 12th
Bundesliga Titles: 2
Key Player: Jhon Cordoba

RB Leipzig:

Stadium: Red Bull Arena
Manager: Julian Nagelsmann
Captain: Willi Orban
Last Season Finish: 3rd
Predicted Finish: 3rd
Bundesliga Titles: 0
Key Player: Timo Werner

Bayer Leverkusen:

Stadium: BayArena
Manager: Michael Ballack
Captain: Lars Bender
Last Season Finish: 4th
Predicted Finish: 4th
Bundesliga Titles: 0
Key Player: Kai Havertz

Mainz 05:

Stadium: Opel Arena
Manager: Achim Beierlorzer
Captain: Danny Latza
Last Season Finish: 12th
Predicted Finish: 15th
Bundesliga Titles: 0
Key Player: Aaron Martin

Borussia Monchengladbach:

Stadium: Borussia-Park
Manager: Marco Rose
Captain: Lars Stindl
Last Season Finish: 5th
Predicted Finish: 5th
Bundesliga Titles: 5
Key Player: Yann Sommer

Bayern Munich:

Stadium: Allianz Arena
Manager: Hans-Dieter Flick
Captain: Manuel Neuer
Last Season Finish: 1st
Predicted Finish: 1st
Bundesliga Titles: 29
Key Player: Robert Lewnadowski

SC Paderborn:

Stadium: Benteler-Arena
Manager: Steffen Baumgart
Captain: Christian Strohdiek
Last Season Finish: 2nd in 2. Bundesliga
Predicted Finish: 18th
Bundesliga Titles: 0
Key Player: Sebastian Vasiliadis

Schalke 04:

Stadium: Veltins-Arena
Manager: David Wagner
Captain: Omar Mascarell
Last Season Finish: 14th
Predicted Finish: 11th
Bundesliga Titles: 7
Key Player: Amine Harit

VfL Wolfsburg:

Stadium: Volkswagen Arena
Manager: Oliver Glasner
Captain: Joshua Guilavogui
Last Season Finish: 6th
Predicted Finish: 6th
Bundesliga Titles: 1
Key Player: Wout Weghorst

Managerial Changes

Manager change data is sorted in the following format:
Team, Outgoing Manager (Nationality) replaced by, Incoming Manager (Nationality), Manner of departure

Note: All manager changes have been announced prior to the season and take place on July 1, 2019.

• 1899 Hoffenheim, Julian Nagelsmann (Germany) replaced by Matthias Kaltenbach (Germany), Nagelsmann signed for RB Leipzig
• RB Leipzig, Ralf Rangnick (Germany) replaced by Julian Nagelsmann (Germany), Rangnick appointed as sporting director
• VfL Wolfsburg, Bruno Labbadia (Germany) replaced by Oliver Glasner (Austria), Labbadia's contract expired
• Schalke 04, Huub Stevens (Netherlands) replaced by David Wagner (United States), end of Stevens' caretaker spell
• Borussia Monchengladbach, Dieter Hecking (Germany) replaced by Marco Rose (Germany), Hecking sacked
• Hertha BSC, Pal Dardai (Hungary) replaced by Bruno Labaddia (Germany), Dardai agreed to leave (mutual consent), Ante Covic and Jurgen Klinsmann also had short spells at the club
• 1. FC Koln, Andre Pawlak (Germany) / Manfred Schmid (Austria) replaced by Markus Gisdol, Pawlak sacked, end of Schmid's caretaker spell
• Bayern Munich, Niko Kovac (Croatia) replaced by Hans-Dieter Flick (Germany), Kovac agreed to leave (mutual consent)
• Mainz 05, Sandro Schwarz (Germany) replaced by Achim Beierlorzer (Germany), Schwarz agreed to leave (mutual consent)
• Fortuna Dusseldorf, Friedhelm Funkel (Germany) replaced by Uwe Rosler (Germany), Funkel sacked
• FC Augsburg, Martin Schmidt (Switzerland) replaced by Heiko Herrlich (Germany), Schmidt sacked

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

The 2019/20 Bundesliga season begins just over a month away when Bayern Munich face Hertha Berlin at the Allianz Arena. The Bavarians are looking to defend their Bundesliga title for the eighth consecutive season. Lucien Favre’s Borussia Dortmund, meanwhile, have hopes of prying the Meisterschale out of Bayern’s hands. Who will round out the top seven in Germany? Who is in danger of relegation? And which new transfers are worth keeping an eye on?

The Contenders

Title Contenders.jpeg

Realistically, only two teams stand any sort of chance of claiming the 2019/20 Bundesliga title. Perennial winners Bayern Munich and their fierce rivals Borussia Dortmund will both fancy their odds to finish the season as Deutscher meister.

As it stands, Borussia Dortmund perhaps have a slight advantage due to their squad depth. Bayern, however, are just a few moves away from reinstating themselves as firm favourites to win the league.

Both RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen, however, could prove significant threats to Germany’s top two sides. The former club is bolstered by the addition of coaching wunderkind Julian Nagelsmann, while the latter will be hoping their slew of summer transfers and a new push for championships from the sides board which included the signing of former club star Michael Ballack as manager can elevate them to the next level.

Bayern Munich

It's understandable why many are predicting Bayern Munich to make it eight in a row, especially after seeing how main rivals Dortmund threw away a massive lead at the top of the table last season to gift wrap the Meisterschale for the Bavarians.

They were entering their second season with manager Niko Kovač, who despite winning the double last time around lost his job as soon as results started to go against the club. He will be replaced by former assistant Hans-Dieter Flick.

The club have spent big the transfer market to fix a number of defensive problems, while the most recent signing of Ivan Perišić will help to offer some much-needed depth in wide areas following Arjen Robben's retirement and Franck Ribéry's departure.

But perhaps the most important thing to be keeping an eye during the first half of the season (or Hinrunde) will be the club's elections in November, as club president Uli Hoeness will not be running for re-election, while he'll also be stepping down as role as chairman of the board.

Borussia Dortmund:

There's a lot of excitement surrounding what the Black and Yellows can conjure up this season, with manager Lucien Favre entering his second year at the Westfalenstadion.

Dortmund have spent almost €130m in the transfer market, snapping up the likes of Thorgan Hazard and Julian Brandt, as well as bringing Mats Hummels back to the club following his trophy-laden three-year spell at Bayern Munich.

There's a strong feeling that Borussia Dortmund could have their best chance since the days of Jürgen Klopp to get their hands on the league title this season, as Bayern Munich for all of their investment are still undergoing a major rejuvenation project.

RB Leipzig:

They haven't offered a serious threat to the Bundesliga's duopoly just yet, but the 2019/20 season could see Leipzig - 10 years after they were formed - finally achieve their goal of securing silverware in Germany's top flight.

The Red Bull backed project are still among the most despised clubs in the Bundesliga and are widely seen as the antithesis of what makes German football so attractive, but the club has assembled an all-star cast of players and staff in Saxony which should give Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund a run for their money.

Only €52m has been spent by Leipzig as they look to fine-tune an already fantastic squad, but crucially they've been able to hold onto the likes of Dayot Upamecano, Yussuf Poulsen and Timo Werner - the latter still hasn't signed a new contract and is set to become a free agent in 2020.

It is, however, the introduction of new manager Julian Nagelsmann which could see RB Leipzig come as close as they ever have to winning the Bundesliga title this season.

The Dark Horses

Dark Horses.jpeg

As well as Bayer Leverkusen, who sit 50/50 between challenging and being dark horses, sit another four teams. Borussia Monchengladbach will be delighted to have coach Marco Rose on board, but they have not quite done enough to replace Thorgan Hazard. They could struggle without the Belgium international.

VfL Wolfsburg will hope for another solid Europa League finish after a great off-season, while Werder Bremen will hope youngsters Milot Rashica and Maximillian Eggestein can lead them back into European football.

Eintracht Frankfurt have been ripped apart this summer and have not made any significant moves to replace Luka Jovic or Sebastian Haller. Similarly, TSG Hoffenheim could struggle significantly with tactical genius Julian Nagelsmann no longer at the helm.

Bayer Leverkusen:

While some were tipping Leverkusen for a title challenge last season, Die Werkself actually found themselves around the relegation zone at times and they didn't really find their feet until Peter Bosz was brought in to replace Heiko Herrlich.

Bosz was then eventually replaced by Michael Ballack and after a full pre-season and some smart investment in the transfer market, however, Leverkusen will be confident that they can at least match their fourth-place finish from last year.

Borussia Monchengladbach:

Just like RB Leipzig will be hopeful that they can enjoy a new manager bounce this season, Gladbach are heading into the new campaign with former FC Salzburg boss Marco Rose in the dugout at Borussia-Park.

They missed out on Champions League football by just three points last season, and so far Borussia Mönchengladbach have been able to hold onto the majority of their star players, only being forced to sell Thorgan Hazard to Dortmund.

Werder Bremen:

Far from a modern-day heavyweight in German football, Werder Bremen have actually lifted four Bundesliga titles and one as recently as 2004.

Fans in the north-west won't be expecting much more than last season's eight-place finish, but with the likes of Maximilian Eggestein and Milot Rashica continuing to improve under manager Florian Kohfeldt, Die Werderaner could break into the European places sooner rather than later.

VfL Wolfsburg:

Just not being involved in (another) relegation battle was somewhat of a success for Wolfsburg last season, but they actually went on to qualify for the Europa League group stages.

They've made very few changes to their first-team from last season, but new signings Xaver Schlager and Kevin Mbabu could help take manager Oliver Glasner - he took over this summer after four years with Austrian side LASK - to the next level.

The Promoted Teams

Promoted Sides.jpeg

FC Koln:

Coming back into the Bundesliga at the first time of asking, Köln will be the favourites from the newly promoted sides to retain their status as a top-light club, although their narrow DFB-Pokal win over Wehen Wiesbaden has still left some questions surrounding the club.

SC Paderborn:

With a story unlike most other teams, Paderborn were actually sitting at the top of the Bundesliga table as recently as September 2014. But they went on to suffer back-to-back relegations and even faced dropping into Germany's Regionalliga system.

Union Berlin:

Urs Fischer's side bucked the trend of 2. Bundesliga sides rolling over in Germany's relegation play-off match and instead secured promotion on away goals, with opponents VfB Stuttgart dropping into the second division.

Transfers to Watch

When it comes to big new additions to the Bundesliga, it does not get any more significant than Bayern’s Lucas Hernandez. The 2018 World Cup winner joined the German champions for a massive €80 million fee and will be responsible, along with Benjamin Pavard, for stitching up a leaky backline.

Julian Brandt has made the switch to Borussia Dortmund after several successful seasons with Bayer Leverkusen. The player and club could prove a perfect fit for each other. If so, that move will go down as arguably the steal of the summer, considering Dortmund paid only €25 million for the 23-year-old.

Leverkusen, meanwhile, have replaced their young star with former Hoffenheim duo Kerem Demirbay and Nadiem Amiri, each of whom should have a positive impact on the squad.

RB Leipzig’s most notable move of the summer was hiring young coach Julian Nagelsmann. Nevertheless, the Red Bulls have made a few solid additions on the pitch as well. Ademola Lookman has finally made his move from Everton, ending a transfer saga that has spanned over a year. Christopher Nkunku also made the swap from Paris Saint-Germain and could play a big role under Nagelsmann.

Finally, Dodi Lukebakio, one of the breakout stars of the 2019-20 season, has joined Hertha Berlin from Fortuna Dusseldorf. The young Belgian is certainly one to watch as Hertha Berlin look to elevate their game to the next level and potentially push for a European place.

Final Predictions

Predictions.jpg

The Bundesliga is as big as it's ever been and it looks set to be one of the most exciting seasons in the competition's history, with at least three teams eyeing the league title while a handful of other sides battle it out for the remaining European places.

Here are the big picks picks for all the trophies for this season:

Champion: Bayern Munich
Top Four: Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, Bayer Leverkusen
Top Scorer: Robert Lewandowski
Most Assists: Jadon Sancho
Most Clean Sheets: Manuel Neuer
Surprise Package: SV Werder Bremer and 1. FC Koln
Best Transfer: Erling Haaland, from RB Salzburg to Borussia Dortmund

Bayer Leverkusen should make up the rest of the top four alongside Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig, while promoted Paderborn and Union Berlin will be lucky to finish outside of the Bundesliga's automatic relegation slots.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

So there we have it, the stage is set for the next season of Bundesliga football. Will Bayern reign supreme once again, will Dortmund take over as the top team in Germany or will Leipzig or Leverkusen claim their first ever Meisterschale. We are right around the corner from the pre-season before we attack match day 1, so stay tuned as this could be one of the biggest seasons of Bundesliga football ever. We will see you very, very shortly, and we can't wait!