Bundesliga Reviews Match-1 season 2016/2017

Is this the year that Bayern Munich’s dominance is tested by Tuchel’s Borussia Dortmund? It has been a merry go round transfer window so far in Germany. Ancelotti’s first season in charge of the Bavarian giants and the capture of Hummels from Dortmund will be challenged by BVB’s rebuilding program under Tuchel. As well as Hummels, Mkhitaryan has also left for Jose’s Manchester United, and Gundogan for Mourinho’s rivals Manchester City. Coming in we have Schurrle into Dortmund from Wolfsburg and Götze arriving from Bayern. Tuchel has his first season under the belt following Klopp’s departure, and I have always rated him as a manager so he could take Dortmund onto great things.

It makes for a fascinating match up and, at 1/6, Bayern are completely unbackable. Dortmund at 6/1 have some trading appeal and if Tuchel gets the team gelling quickly, they could well run the Munich side close.

A team I expect to close the gap on both of them is Monchengladbach. They have slowly improved over the last 2 years. They have lost Xhaka to Arsenal, and not just saying it because it is Arsenal, but I am not sure he is a huge loss. Andre Schubert has changed the philosophy and built a more solid balanced side than the counter attacking team under Favre. They achieved 4th and Champions League football last season despite a 5 match losing streak along the way. Their home form was way better than their away form and if Schubert has got his balance right, they will challenge Leverkusen for the 3rd spot behind the big two. I was hoping for a bigger price to get onto the top 4 after losing Xhaka so I cannot have a bet at 5/4 for the Top 4. 100/1 for the title may well trade but is not for me as money will be scarce, so I will watch Gladbach with interest this season.

The Bundesliga is trialing video replays this season. Officials will watch 3 games a week and make notes for research purposes. If it goes well we could see Bundesliga leading the way in long awaited video replays. I have never understood the opposition to it, surely everyone just wants to see the correct result in each game?

At the bottom Darmstadt have lost their manager to Augsburg and that has moved them to odds on to go down so it looks difficult to see them stay up. Ingolstadt stayed up last season but were poor come the end. If they don’t get off to a fast start I expect them to join Darmstadt down the trapdoor.

The third team I fancy to struggle are Werder Bremen. Only two points clear of safety last season they take on Bayern, Monchengladbach, Wolfsburg and Leverkusen in 4 of their first 8 games and also have, what will surely be, tough games against Mainz and Augsburg. That start, if it goes wrong, will see them down the bottom and momentum is then tough to generate to get out of it. At 8/1 they offer some appeal.

Here the list bundesliga highlights review Match-1 :

• Hertha Berlin vs Freiburg (2 – 1)
  
• Hoffenheim vs RB Leipzig (2 - 2)
  
• Hamburger SV vs Ingolstadt (1 - 1)
  
• Eintracht vs Schalke (1 - 0)
  
• Borussia Dortmund vs Mainz 05 (2 - 1)
  
• FC Augsburg vs Wolfsburg (0 - 2)
  
• Borussia Moenchengladbach vs Bayer Leverkusen (2 - 1)