Another exciting season of the best football league in the world is upon us, and it's time for the moment the world has been waiting for - IMOTGP predictions.
1. Bayern Munich
Whether Bayern win the title isn't really in question. Whether the irritable Pep Guardiola is coaching his last season for Germany's most successful club is what people really want to know. If you are reading this blog for Bayern info, you are in the wrong place and go somewhere else and pay tribute to these big spenders that steal everyone's players, according to the New York Times. They represent everything that is wrong with football, according to the Times.
2. Bayer Leverkusen
Not only do the league's most exciting club possess exciting attacking talent like Karim Bellarabi, Julian Brandt and the addition of Christoph Kramer, the Werkself made a splash with the addition of Chilean stud Charles Aranguiz. Roger Schmidt made a name for himself at Salzburg and it's time for him to lead his charges to an even higher level.
3. VfL Wolfsburg
Kevin de Bruyne's destination will largely impact last year's runners-up. If he sticks around, these guys could be a factor in the Champions League with a good draw with the return of former Mainz and Leverkusen man Andre Schurrle to the Bundesliga. Nicklas Bendtner has already earned them a trophy. Don't think they will be intimidated by Guardiola's men.
4. FC Schalke
André Breitenreiter is the new man in charge of the Royal Blues for now. Their streak of Champions League appearances ends at three for a club that nearly knocked out Real Madrid in March. It's redundant to say that all is not well in Gelsenkirchen but they did finish ahead of bitter rivals Dortmund and could pip their Revierderby rivals once again, this time for a Champions League spot.
5. Borussia Dortmund
Jurgen Klopp is gone and former Mainz maestro Thomas Tuchel has big shoes - though not the glasses of Klopp - to fill. Henrikh Mkhitaryan has already scored four goals in Cup competition and Mats Hummels is still in charge of what figures to be a top defense. BVB are showing some age but still have plenty of talent to have a fantastic campaign. It's a new era for the Yellow-Blacks.
6. Borussia Monchengladbach
It's been said to never underestimate a Lucien Favre-led team - after all, the man nearly led perennial losers Hertha to the Champions League in that magical 2008-09 season. The American fan will no doubt be thrilled by seeing Fabian Johnson in a Foals' uniform; he hasn't done much for coach Jurgen Klinsmann's USA. It says here that Champions League football will prove to be too much for Favre's men.
7. Hoffenheim
Seventh place seems to be up for grabs. Why not Hoffenheim, who nearly finished in this position last campaign. Yes, Roberto Firmino is gone but old Bundesliga friend Kevin Kuranyi is back! There are useful players like Kevin Volland and Fabian Schar. If the real Adam Szalai shows up, the Hoff can achieve a European dream.
8. Mainz
Dubbed the mosquito of the Bundesliga by one pundit, Mainz could be solid again or could be relegation fodder. Fabian Frei was a nice pick-up from FC Basel and the side posted an impressive preseason victory over Lazio, though they lost 2-1 to Rotherham United. That about sums it up.
9. Eintracht Frankfurt
Quick - name the Bundesliga's top scorer from last year. Many forget that it was Alexander Meier, who will miss the start of the year due to knee surgery. Still, Japanese teammates Takashi Inui and Makato Hasebe are solid, Haris Seferovic is a capable striker and the club had an easy DFB Pokal win in its opener.
10. Augsburg - Somehow FCA finished 5th a year ago and usually a club like this landing in Europe leads to a disastrous league campaign. They were nearly knocked out of the DFB Cup and will likely be focused on safety once their Euro adventure ends.
11. VfB Stuttgart - It's hard to say why a team that could have been relegated will finish this high but there is optimism based on a class display in a preseason win over Manchester City. VfB were flying up by four goals at the break. The U.S. fan will want to see the development of Jerome Kiesewetter.
12. Werder Bremen - Ukrainian coach Viktor Skrypnyk is known for his high intensity football - which makes the addition of U.S. striker Aron Johansson a head-scratcher, so don't expect much from him. Anthony Ujah is trying to put his Goats history behind him.
13. FC Koln - Possibly the league's most boring team, the Goats scored the league's third-fewest goals a season ago and yet finished in 12th due to the surrounding mediocrity. Expect about the same but don't dare watch them.
14. Hertha BSC - These losers survived despite scoring three goals while going winless in their last six games. The only notable addition is former Bayern man Mitchell Weiser, and he is hurt anyway. Defender John Brooks may be one of the side's most reliable players and he kind of sucks. The capital once again will see empty seats and awful football for a club with no hope ever of respectability.
15. Hamburg - These losers somehow survived a two-legged playoff with Karlsruhe to ensure safety only to get dumped out of the DFB Pokal by a 4th-division club ahead of the opener at Bayern. Crazy man Emir Spahic has signed on and there are a host of new faces to replace the underachieving ones from the past as this huge club sucks yet again.
16. Ingolstadt - The champions of the ZweiteLiga, Ingolstadt played some wonderful football a year ago. They retain most of their squad and are dreaming of staying afloat like Darmstadt.
17. Darmstadt - It's a fairy tale story for this club to play in the top flight. Even this Hertha fan wants to see them succeed.
18. Hannover 96 - Hannover were another big club lucky to survive last year and there's zero reason for optimism with a bunch of no-name strikers and a retread coach in Michael Frontzeck. Let's all hope they go down.
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