“I hope that Bayern won’t single-handedly win the title”, Hitzfeld told German radio.
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“Werder still has a good team, although after the cup exit they will be under pressure”.
World Cup-winner Mario Goetze is also back in the yellow and black shirt after three years at Bayern.
Appointing Carlo Ancelotti as Pep Guardiola’s successor was a common sense decision by a club who tend to get things right when it comes to recruitment.
“It’s a new experience, a new country, a new league”.
“I can’t judge that move, just like most of us can’t”. It is a long season with 34 games. “We have to be focused, and now we’re turning that focus to the first match”. A major hit with his former players for being non confrontational and an excellent player-manager, Ancelotti allows his players to express themselves by being adventurous without losing shape and discipline.
Stylistically, the 56-year-old Italian is more akin to Jupp Heynckes than Pep Guardiola.
Bayern, who have won the European Cup five times, are in the first pot of clubs alongside holders Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, Benfica, CSKA Moscow and Leicester City. Guardiola’s relentless perfectionism and in-game tinkering is replaced by Ancelotti’s focused, yet relaxed approach, handing responsibility to the individuals.
Historically, transfers between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich rarely pass off without controversy – Hummels’ low-key 2008 switch from Bavaria to the Ruhr region ironically standing as an exception – and the Germany centre-back’s April transfer request prompted a familiar combination of dread and rage among the Dortmund faithful.
The first title of the season has already earned the Bavarian vehicle – the game on Super Munich in good style beat chief rivals Dortmund (2: 0) goals were noted Vidal and Mueller.
Götze’s defection to Bayern Munich three seasons ago made him public enemy #1 at the Signal Iduna Park.
Next to youngsters like 19-year-old attackers Ousmane Dembele and Emre Mor, 20-year-old central-midfielder Mikel Merino and 22-year-old left-back Raphael Guerreiro, BVB have spent around €70m on Andre Schurrle, Mario Gotze, Sebastian Rode and Marc Bartra. The midfielder, despite his tender age, was one of the standout players in Euro 2016, playing a crucial role to take his country to its maiden global crown.
Given the 32-point boost they enjoyed in Thomas Tuchel’s first season in charge against Jurgen Klopp’s final campaign, you would have to say, yes.
He could make his Bundesliga bow for the club on Friday against Werder Bremen.
Under Guardiola, Bayern smashed numerous domestic records, and a comedown is practically guaranteed.
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Winning the Champions League is the icing on the cake for any Bayern season, but winning a 27th German league title this season is Ancelotti’s main task.
