After nearly three months, excitement, colour, and joy return to Germany as the Bundesliga resumes for the 2024/2025 season on Friday, August 23, 2024.
The Rhine Derby between defending champions Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Mönchengladbach kicks off the season, setting the stage for what promises to be another thrilling season of football.
All 18 Bundesliga teams have already opened their domestic campaigns, with 16 teams participating in the opening rounds of the DFB Pokal. Meanwhile, Leverkusen and last season’s runners-up, VfB Stuttgart, contested the official curtain-raiser, the DFB Super Cup, last Saturday, August 17.
Sports betting enthusiasts should have an idea of how the teams are shaping up and what to expect in the coming months based on these early performances.
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Leverkusen Lay Down Marker
However, as we enter the 62nd season of Germany’s premier men’s football competition, the question remains: Will Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen side shock the world once again by securing back-to-back titles?
In the 2023/2024 season, Leverkusen became the first team to complete an entire German topflight season unbeaten, claiming their first-ever league title. They’ve already started the 2024/2025 season where they left off, with a victory in the DFB Super Cup – a win that echoed some of their most stirring triumphs from last year.
Trailing 1-2 to Stuttgart with 17 minutes of play remaining, Alonso, as he did many times last season, brought Patrik Schick off the bench to level the match with two minutes to go, forcing extra time. The champions eventually triumphed on penalties.
This victory is yet another trophy for Leverkusen, who have now firmly put the ‘Neverkusen’ nickname to rest and gained a morale booster as they prepare to defend their title.
However, this is ominous news for the rest of their rivals, particularly Bayern Munich, who finished a disappointing third last season. The Bavarians have approached this campaign with a determination that suggests last season’s failure will not be repeated.
Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig will also look to assert themselves in the title race. Meanwhile, the battle for European spots will be intense, with Germany likely to retain its five UEFA Champions League slots.
Newcomers St Pauli and Holstein Kiel, having ascended to Germany’s top flight, will want to prove their worth and show they belong on the big stage.
With all 18 teams raring to go, who will win the Bundesliga 2024/2025 title? Who will secure the European spots, and which teams are likely to face relegation?
Join us as we answer these questions in our Bundesliga 2024/2025 season preview.
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Bundesliga 2024/2025 Winner Odds
Here are the German Bundesliga 2024/2025 winner odds for all 20 teams (courtesy of Bet9ja, correct at the time of publishing and subject to change):
Bayern Munich @ 1.50
Bayer Leverkusen @ 3.55
Borussia Dortmund @ 11.00
RB Leipzig @ 13.00
VfB Stuttgart @ 34.00
Eintracht Frankfurt @ 81.00
Borussia Mönchengladbach @ 151.00
SC Freiburg @ 151.00
TSG Hoffenheim @ 151.00
VfL Wolfsburg @ 201.00
Werder Bremen @ 201.00
1. FC Heidenheim @ 251.00
Union Berlin @ 401.00
Mainz 05 @ 401.00
FC St. Pauli @ 401.00
VfL Bochum @ 401.00
FC Augsburg @ 401.00
Holstein Kiel @ 501.00
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Predict 6 Scores: Win ₦10.000.000Who are the Favourites to win the Bundesliga 2024/2025 Title?
Bayern Munich and current holders Bayer Leverkusen are far and away the top two favourites to win the Bundesliga 2024/2025 title, according to the best betting sites. Bet9ja lists Bayern Munich at 1.50 odds and Bayer Leverkusen at 3.55 odds to finish as champions.
Bayern Munich, after a disappointing third-place finish and their first trophyless season since 2011/2012, have appointed Vincent Kompany as their new manager, replacing Thomas Tuchel at the Allianz Arena.
Kompany’s appointment raised eyebrows, especially after his relegation with Burnley from the Premier League last season. However, the Bavarians have moved to provide the former Manchester City captain with a squad capable of wresting the title back to Munich. They have signed Japanese defender Hiroki Ito, defensive midfielder Joao Palhinha from Fulham, and forward Michael Olise, who scored 14 goals and provided 22 assists for Crystal Palace in 82 games last season.
These additions complement a squad that already boasts exciting talents like Jamal Musiala and prolific striker Harry Kane. Kane, who won the Golden Boot in his debut season with 36 goals, could challenge Robert Lewandowski’s record for the most goals in a single Bundesliga campaign (41), thanks to the attacking talent supporting him.
While Kane’s goals will definitely be vital in Bayern’s quest to regain the title, the loss of defensive stalwarts Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui to Manchester United could present a challenge to their title ambitions.
Bayern have been linked with Leverkusen centre-back and vice-captain Jonathan Tah, whose signing would not only bolster their defence but also weaken a key rival – a tactic the Bavarians have often deployed to maintain their dominance in the topflight.
However, Kompany’s suitability for the role remains a question mark, which could impact Bayern’s title aspirations.
Bayer Leverkusen’s Continuity
That is one advantage Leverkusen have over Bayern with Alonso’s credentials firmly established, having taken the club from 17th in the Bundesliga – second from bottom – when he took charge in October 2022 to their first-ever title last season.
Alonso’s decision to stay, despite interest from major European clubs, and the retention of key players like Victor Boniface and Bundesliga Player of the Season Florian Wirtz provide continuity that bodes well for their title defence.
However, the element of surprise they had last season is gone, and the added pressure of being a big scalp for every team might affect their performance.
Additionally, fairy tale runs such as they managed last season are notoriously hard to replicate, so while they should be competitive this term, retaining the Bundesliga title at the BayArena may be too much of a challenge.
However, they should be good value at 1.80 odds on Bet9ja to win the Bundesliga 2024/2025 title without Bayern Munich.
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Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig will be the primary challengers to Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen for the Bundesliga 2024/2025 title. However, both teams must perform exceptionally well to capitalise on any potential slip-ups by the top two favourites.
The best odds for Dortmund and Leipzig to finish as champions are 11.00 and 13.00 odds, respectively, on Bet9ja. Additionally, they are listed at 4.00 odds and 5.00 odds to win the title without Bayern Munich.
Many believe Dortmund’s best opportunity was during the 2022/2023 season when they led the league going into the final day, only to draw with Mainz at home, allowing Bayern to claim the title on goal difference.
Dortmund, who finished fifth last season, might see their wait for a Bundesliga title extend into a 14th season after losing experienced players like Marco Reus, Mats Hummels, and striker Niclas Fullkrug. The unexpected departure of Edin Terzic, who guided them to the Champions League final last season, could also impact their chances of finishing in the top three.
However, the acquisition of Serhou Guirassy from Stuttgart for €18M will strengthen their attack. With former assistant manager Nuri Şahin now in charge, Dortmund may face a transitional season but should be good value to finish in the top four at 1.46 odds.
Leipzig, meanwhile, finished fourth last season. While Marco Rose will be keen to challenge for the title, a third place could be a more realistic goal. Leipzig are priced at 3.20 odds to finish in the top four.
Battle for European Places
With Germany likely to retain its five UEFA Champions League qualifying slots, the battle for the Champions League and other European spots will likely be fierce.
Eintracht Frankfurt and Stuttgart will likely be among the contenders. Frankfurt, who finished sixth last season, will be eager to go one better this term. They are priced at 5.50 odds for a top-four finish.
Stuttgart, meanwhile, surprised many by finishing behind Leverkusen last season after narrowly avoiding relegation in the 2022/23 season. Sebastian Hoeneß’s team are priced at 1.57 odds to finish in the top four, but with Guirassy’s transfer to Dortmund, Europa League qualification might be more attainable.
Heidenheim and Hoffenheim also finished in European places last season, and Hoffenheim, at least, should have the capability to achieve consecutive European finishes.
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Relegation Candidates
Teams promoted from Bundesliga 2 often face the challenge of immediate relegation, as was the case with Darmstadt last season.
That remains the case in the 2024/2025 season, with newcomers St. Pauli and Holstein Kiel leading the betting odds at 2.10 and 2.65, respectively, for relegation.
Kiel are making their debut in the Bundesliga and will need to perform at their best to maintain their status.
St. Pauli also face a tough challenge on their return to the topflight after 13 years, especially after losing manager Fabian Hürzeler, who led them to win Bundesliga 2 and has now moved to Brighton in the Premier League.
However, with former Genoa manager Alexander Blessin now in charge, Die Kiezkicker, known for their passionate fanbase, could make their home matches at Millerntor-Stadion intimidating for visiting teams. Their home form will be crucial for their survival in the Bundesliga.
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Who Will Be Top Scorer for the Bundesliga 2024/2025 season?
A fit Harry Kane is a no-brainer to win the Golden Boot in the Bundesliga 2024/2025 season, and the Englishman leads the top scorer betting market at 1.44 odds on Bet9ja.
Kane’s 36-goal debut season was a sensational achievement. Now in his second Bundesliga campaign, leading a resurgent Bayern Munich seeking to regain the title, and with a supporting cast of elite attacking talent, Kane will have his sights set on breaking Robert Lewandowski’s single-season Bundesliga goals record.
Serhou Guirassy, who finished behind Kane in the goal-scoring chart last season with 28 goals, is priced at 11.00 odds to win the Golden Boot this season. His move to Dortmund suggests he will have better support, potentially leading to more goals.
However, Leverkusen’s Victor Boniface could pose the biggest challenge to Kane’s chances. The Nigerian scored 16 goals in his first 21 games in all competitions for Leverkusen and won the Bundesliga Rookie of the Year award every month until a long-term injury in January halted his streak.
Boniface has already started the season strongly, scoring against Stuttgart in the DFB Super Cup. With a record of 14 goals and 8 assists in 23 league games last season, a fit Boniface could be a worthy contender at 11.00 odds to finish as the top scorer this season.
Other notable mentions include RB Leipzig’s Lois Openda and the promising Benjamin Sesko, both of whom had excellent first seasons. Openda, third in the goal-scoring chart last season with 24 goals, is listed at 8.00 odds, while Sesko, who finished with 14 goals, is priced at 11.00 odds to become the Bundesliga’s top scorer for the 2024/2025 season.
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