Bayern Munich 2024-25 season preview: Vincent Kompany's side facing uphill battle to dethrone new Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen – with Harry Kane's Euro 2024 struggles a real cause for concern
GOALThe pressure is well and truly on for Germany's most successful club as they seek to bounce back from a disastrous 2023-24 campaign
Bayern Munich's dominance of the Bundesliga is finally over. After winning 11 titles on the bounce, the perennial champions were knocked off their perch last term in stunning fashion by Bayer Leverkusen, who lifted the famous Meisterschale trophy for the first time in their history after finishing 17 points clear at the top of the table.
In the end, surprise package Stuttgart even pipped Bayern to second, and closing the gap to Xabi Alonso's fluid, fearless Leverkusen side in 2024-25 will be a tall order. Bayern went backwards under Thomas Tuchel, and after an extensive hunt for the German's successor that saw eight candidates fall by the wayside – including Alonso, Unai Emery and Ralf Rangnick – they settled on Vincent Kompany.
The Belgian was a very risky choice after overseeing Burnley's immediate relegation from the Premier League and it remains to be seen if he can get the best out of a squad brimming with world-class talent, including Bayern's top goal-scorer from 2023-24 and the current England captain Harry Kane.
As always, Bayern will also be expected to challenge for the Champions League and DFB-Pokal, but are they ready for an all-out assault on three trophy fronts? GOAL takes a look below…
