Bayern Munich begin their Bundesliga title defence this week as heavy favourites once again, with bookmakers pricing them at 1-7 to lift the trophy for a third consecutive season. The German giants, who have won 13 of the last 14 league titles, open their campaign at home to Stuttgart on Friday, a fixture that will be broadcast live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.
Vincent Kompany's side head into the new season with momentum already behind them, having beaten rivals Borussia Dortmund 2-1 in the German Super Cup last weekend. The Belgian manager, who arrived at Bayern after leaving Burnley, has made clear that anything less than total success is unacceptable at the club. "The targets at Bayern are always set as high as possible, which means winning the Bundesliga, winning the cup, winning the Champions League and perhaps even winning every single match," Kompany said this summer.
Since Bayern's dominant run began with the treble-winning 2012-13 campaign, the club has only failed to win the Bundesliga once, when Bayer Leverkusen went unbeaten domestically in 2023-24. Under Kompany, Bayern have won the title by 13 and 16 points respectively in his two seasons in charge. Last season proved especially prolific, with Bayern scoring 184 goals in all competitions, including a record 122 in the Bundesliga and 43 in the Champions League, where they were eliminated 6-5 on aggregate by Paris St-Germain in the semi-finals.
Despite that European disappointment, German football writer Constantin Eckner suggested Bayern's hierarchy remain fully behind Kompany. "As long as they compete among the top four in Europe, they are content to have Kompany," Eckner said, adding that the manager has restored stability after a period in which Bayern cycled through seven managers in eight years.
Much of Bayern's attacking success continues to be built around Harry Kane, whose move from Tottenham in 2022 has proven transformative for both player and club. The England captain scored 61 goals in 51 matches last season — the most any Bayern player has recorded in a single campaign — bringing his overall tally to 146 goals and 33 assists in 147 appearances. Kane has claimed the European Golden Shoe in 2024 and 2026, along with the Bundesliga's own Golden Boot in 2025, and he scored a hat-trick in last season's German Cup final victory over Stuttgart to secure the domestic double.
Bayern honorary president Uli Hoeness has previously described Kane as "the best signing we've ever made," and speculation continues over whether he could become just the second Englishman since the 1970s to win the Ballon d'Or. Kane himself has been candid about the difficulty of winning the award without major team success. "I could score 100 goals this season, but if I don't win the Champions League or the World Cup, you're probably not going to win the Ballon d'Or," he said last November, after Bayern were eliminated in the semi-finals of both competitions.
Kane, now 33, has also hinted that his long-term future lies in Bavaria rather than a return to the Premier League. "When I first left, for sure it was something I thought — I would definitely be coming back. That itch isn't there as much anymore," he admitted, with his contract set to expire at the end of this season and talks over an extension expected.
Bayern have made relatively modest changes to their squad this summer, bringing in Germany international Nathaniel Brown from Eintracht Frankfurt for around £47m and Morocco's Ismael Saibari from PSV for a reported £43m. Departures include Leon Goretzka and Raphael Guerreiro, both leaving as free agents, while Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson has returned to Stamford Bridge following his loan spell.
The club will also be closely monitoring the wellbeing of Jamal Musiala, who revealed he is being treated for a neurological condition after collapsing during two pre-season friendlies. "I'm receiving excellent medical treatment and am very optimistic," the 23-year-old said, adding that he has the full support of Bayern and his family as he continues his recovery.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.