Bayern host German Cup runners-up Stuttgart in Friday’s opener after a successful 2025-26 campaign, winning the double and chalking up the fourth-best points tally in Bundesliga history. Flanked by Michael Olise and Luis Diaz, Harry Kane helped barnstorming Bayern score a record-breaking 122 goals in 34 Bundesliga games. Bayern Munich have vowed to pick up where they left off last season, targeting the treble, while their outclassed Bundesliga rivals have undergone a reboot to try and cut the gap.
The Bavarian giants only met serious resistance in the Champions League, where they lost 6-5 on aggregate to eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals.
Speaking with AFP and other media after the match, Kane said the 2-1 win was about “sending a message” to their Bundesliga rivals. But Dortmund coach Niko Kovac, who won the Bundesliga as Bayern coach in 2018-19, told AFP “a lot must happen” to close the gap. Stuttgart have qualified for the Champions League in two of Hoeness’s three full seasons at the helm. Leipzig start the season under Argentine Martin Demichelis, who replaced Ole Werner despite the latter taking the Saxons to third spot and a return to the Champions League.
Team Resilience and Individual Recognition
Despite falling short in the Champions League, the team is committed to maintaining their momentum. “We fell just short in the Champions League, but our momentum is to keep pushing, pushing each other, pushing this team to see how far we can go,” a team spokesperson stated.
In recognition of individual excellence, sporting director Christoph Freund praised the 33-year-old striker, asserting, “he deserves to win the Ballon d’Or — he had an outstanding season.” This acknowledgment highlights the striker’s significant contributions and the high expectations surrounding his performance.
