After arguably the most one-sided Bundesliga season in the leagues history, can Borussia Dortmund put up a real challenge to the title that Bayern München won with such ease last season?

BVB’s Squad

Much has been said about the incredible departure of Mario Götze to Bayern during the summer; whether BVB could really carry on without him, and whether Bayern would dominant even more than last year, if that is possible. But although Götze’s departure is of course a huge blow to BVB, for me the Dortmund squad has improved from last year.

Key Players In: Sokratis (Werder Bremen), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Saint-Etienne), Henrikh Mkhitarayan (Shakhtar Donetsk)

Key Players Out: Felipe Santana (FC Schalke 04), Mario Götze (Bayern München), Moritz Leitner (VfB Stuttgart – 2 year loan), Leonardo Bittencourt (Hannover 96)

When looking at the weak points of the Dortmund squad from last season, there was no better place to start than their immediate lack of quality in depth of their defence. With just 3 first-team centre-backs, including the now departed Felipe Santana, there was always room for improvement in at the back for BVB. The arrival of Sokratis, replacing Santana, is a great move in my opinion. Arguably Werder Bremen’s best player last season, Sokratis played in all but 4 games for Bremen and was a very bright spark in their what was a poor season for them. A much better defender than Santana, Sokratis would give me no worries in starting ahead of Subotic with Hummels, unlike Santana did last season. He is a much improved back-up for Hummels and Subotic to what Santana was for BVB and therefore, the defence in my opinion, has immediately improved.

The other two exciting arrivals for BVB came off the back of Götze’s move away. The signings of Aubameyang and Mkhitarayan have done nothing but assured me that BVB are not worried about the missing link that Götze provided. Two very similar players, Aubameyang and Mkhitarayan like to sit off the front man and drift across the pitch, much like their other first-choice attacking midfielders, Marco Reus and Kuba. Both players bring a different style to Dortmund’s attack, which has had to adapt from Götze’s departure. They both obtain great pace on attack and an ability to finish which was lacking for BVB’s midfielders and has been proven not just at their previous clubs, but during pre-season. Also for Aubameyang, it was proven during last Saturday’s 4-0 win over Augsburg, in which Aubameyang scored a very well taken hat-trick.

In my eyes, BVB have obtained two-for the price of one in terms of their replacements of Götze. They bring much more of a goal-scoring ability to the side than Götze did, which is what was needed without replacing Lewandowski. BVB knew they couldn’t sign another striker, as it would be impossible for that striker to start ahead of Lewandowski, and so, they got the next best. Two very attacking midfielders with great goal-scoring records that do nothing but excite me about BVB’s ability to score as highly as Bayern did last season.

Bayern’s Squad

It’s hard to say that Bayern’s treble winning side of last season could be improved, but somehow they have bought players that have meant that they almost seem unbeatable. On paper, it is in the region of Barcelona’s squad of 2009 as the greatest in club football history, but the question now is can Pep Guardiola’s change in style for Bayern bring the same results as last season?

Key Players In: Thiago Alcantara (FC Barcelona), Mario Götze (Borussia Dortmund), Jan Kirchoff (1.FSV Mainz 05)

Key Players Out: Luiz Gustavo (VfL Wolfsburg), Mario Gomez (AC Fiorentina), Emre Can( Bayer 04 Leverkusen)

Although the players brought in and out of the Allianz Arena are a large talking point, of course. Pep’s change is style is what may make or break Bayern’s season. Last season’s 4-2-3-1 formation which dominated Germany and Europe for Bayern is now no more. Guardiola has gone back to what he knows and introduced a formation where one holding midfielder will play for them, aswell as a false 9 instead of an out and out centre forward. We saw last Friday night that Bayern are likely to play without a starting striker, the likes of Robben, Ribery, Götze and Müller will drift around the attacking positions, instead of being behind Mandzukic up front.

What will be missing the most from Bayern’s team for me will be the link in midfield between Bastian Schweinsteiger and Javi Martinez. We were treated to seeing two of the best defensive midfielders playing together last season, and in was nothing but a pleasure to look every week. They were the first and main reason for the great record of keeping out goals that Bayern had during the season. With Thiago expected to start in the holding role, will Bayern’s mostly unchallenged defence, be ultimately exposed during the coming season?

The two centre-backs of Jerome Boateng and Dante found last season all too easy for me, they weren’t tested in a way that showed they were deserved of their places in the highest order of central defenders. This season will show whether they are a world-class pairing in the middle of defence for Bayern. They will be tested as they were at times on Friday against Gladbach. It will be very interesting to see how they can cope with Thiago as the last line of the defence in front of them.

Super Cup

BVB’s impressive 4-2 win over Bayern in the Super Cup asked a lot of questions of Pep’s style, and whether Dortmund could expose it’s obvious weaknesses. At times, Thiago was left tracking Reus, Gündoğan, and the dropping off Lewandowski. He was could do nothing against BVB’s attacking power, even without Aubameyang and Mkhitarayan, which then lead to Dante and Boateng being very exposed, and ultimately overcome during the game. Which eventually lead to them conceding 4 goals, which hadn’t happened for over a year for Bayern.

Prediction

It’s very hard to see past another Bayern title victory, almost verging on stupidity to question them not defending their title, but that is what I am doing. An improving BVB side with a lot of passion and points to prove after last season; against a Bayern team on top of the world, being changed by a man who’s famous Barcelona side was demolished by last season’s untouchable Bayern.

It will be one of the greatest title battles in recent footballing history, with the likes of Bayer Leverkusen and FC Schalke 04 also in the mix. The rivalry that has been created over the last 3/4 years between Bayern and BVB is equal of the rivalry between the two Manchester clubs of the last 2 years. A part of me is sensing a Dortmund revival is well untruly on the cards, only time will tell whether they can bounce back from the UCL Final defeat of last season.

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