The new Bundesliga season gets under way on Friday with German football riding the crest of a wave following the national team’s triumph at the World Cup in Brazil.
Here, Sport360 provides a team-by-team guide to the new season complete with transfer activity and our verdict on each team's chances…
FC AUGSBURG
Manager: Markus Weinzierl
Last season: 8th
Key ins: Tim Matavz (PSV Eindhoven, €4m); Baba Rahman (Greuther Furth, €3m); Nikola Durdic (Greuther Furth, €1.5m)
Key outs: Andre Hahn (‘Gladbach, €3m); Kevin Vogt (Koln, €1.5m)
Strengths: A strong defence and a never-say-die attitude which makes them tough opponents for every side.
Weaknesses: Loss of Hahn – their best player last season – and Vogt could harm their midfield creativity.
Verdict: Punched well above their weight last season but are good enough for another mid-table finish.
BAYER 04 LEVERKUSEN
Manager: Roger Schmidt
Star man: Lars Bender
Last season: 4th
Key ins: Hakan Calhanoglu (Hamburg, €14.5m); Josip Drmic (Nurnberg, €6.8m); Wendell (Gremio, €6.5m)
Key outs: Emre Can (Liverpool, €12.5m); Junior Fernandes (D. Zagreb, €2.5m); Sidney Sam (Schalke, €2.5m)
Strengths: Schmidt is an attack-minded coach who has plenty of firepower in Son Heung-min, Steffan Kiessling, Drmic and youngster Julian Brandt.
Weaknesses: Can look slow and cumbersome in defence, often left exposed by their forward endeavours.
Verdict: Some fine business means Bayer should be top four again.
BAYERN MUNICH
Manager: Pep Guardiola
Star man: Arjen Robben
Last season: Champions
Key ins: Robert Lewandowski (Dortmund, free); Juan Bernat (Valencia, €10m); Sebastian Rode (Frankfurt, free); Pepe Reina (Liverpool, €3m)
Key outs: Toni Kroos (Madrid, €30m); Mario Mandzkuic (Atletico, €22m)
Strengths: The best goalkeeper in the world, two of the best full-backs on the planet, an outrageous collection of midfielders, Robben and Franck Ribery and now… Lewandowski.
Weaknesses: Guardiola’s lack of tactical flexibility and they could perhaps do with another centre-back.
Verdict: Too strong not to win it.
BORUSSIA DORTMUND
Manager: Jurgen Klopp
Star man: Marco Reus
Last season: 2nd
Key ins: Ciro Immobile (Torino, €18m); Adrian Ramos (Hertha, €10m); Matthias Ginter (Freiburg, €10m)
Key outs: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern, free); Julian Schieber (Hertha, €2.5m); Manuel Friedrich (retired)
Strengths: The excellent Ginter joins the best back-four in the division plus Ilkay Gundogan’s return to fitness will improve an already fine midfield unit.
Weaknesses: The loss of Lewandowski’s goals places a huge amount of pressure on Immobile.
Verdict: Just not quite at Bayern’s level and another second-place beckons.
BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH
Manager: Lucien Favre
Star man: Patrick Herrmann
Last season: 6th
Key ins: Yann Sommer (Basel, €8m); Andre Hahn (Augsburg, €3m); Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim, free)
Key outs: Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Barcelona, €11m); Juan Arango (Club Tijuana, free)
Strengths: Second only to Bayern in terms of possession last season, ‘Gladbach are a fine passing side with a well-marshalled defence.
Weaknesses: Arango’s dead ball delivery will be missed while Sommer has big boots to fill after Ter Stegen’s exit.
Verdict: Will challenge for the top four but look likely to miss out.
EINTRACHT FRANKFURT
Manager: Thomas Schaaf
Star man: Kevin Trapp
Last season: 13th
Key ins: Haris Seferovic (Sociedad, €3m); Lucas Piazon (Chelsea, loan); Nelson Valdez (Al Jazira, free)
Key outs: Sebastian Rode (Bayern, free); Sebastian Jung (Wolfsburg, €2.5m); Pirmin Schwegler (Hoffe, €2m)
Strengths: Trapp is one of the best ‘keepers in the league and Frankfurt have some fine young players in Marc Stendera and David Kinsombi.
Weaknesses: Only relegated Nurnberg and Braunschweig scored fewer goals last season.
Verdict: Lack of firepower is likely to leave them marooned in mid-table.
SC FREIBURG
Manager: Christian Streich
Star man: Admir Mehmedi
Last season: 14th
Key ins: Stefan Mitrovic (Benfica, €1.8m); Roman Burki (Grasshoppers, €1.8m); Sascha Riether (Fulham, free)
Key outs: Matthias Ginter (Dortmund, €10m); Gelson Fernandes (Rennes, €1.6m); Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim, free)
Strengths: Mehmedi enjoyed a fine debut season while Streich’s faith in youth – they have the youngest squad in the league – means they are always good to watch.
Weaknesses: Departures of captain Ginter and goalkeeper Baumann is sure to affect defensive stability.
Verdict: Will be battle for survival after sales of key players.
HAMBURGER SV
Manager: Mirko Slomka
Star man: Rafael van der Vaart
Last season: 16th
Key ins: Pierre-Michel Lasogga (Hertha Berlin, €8.5m); Valon Behrami (Napoli, €4.5m); Nicolai Muller (Mainz, €3m); Zoltan Stieber (Greuther Furth, €1m)
Key outs: Hakan Calhanoglu (Leverkusen, €14.5m); Michael Mancienne (Nottingham Forest, €1.5m)
Strengths: Lasogga’s goals were vital last season as Hamburg came desperately close to a first-ever relegation. The striker needs to continue his improvement.
Weaknesses: Slomka is a defensive-minded coach with a poor defence to work with.
Verdict: Another season of struggle for the fallen giants.
HANNOVER 96
Manager: Tayfun Korkut
Star man: Ron-Robert Zieler
Last season: 10th
Key ins: Joselu (Hoffenheim, €5m); Hiroshi Kiyotake (Nurnberg, €3.5m); Marius Stankevicius (Gaziantepspor, free), Ceyhun Gulselam (Galastasaray, free)
Key outs: Didier Ya Konan (Al Ittihad, free); Szabolcs Huszti (Changchun Yatai, €1.5m); Sebastian Pocognoli (West Brom, undisclosed)
Strengths: Zieler is a fine goalkeeper while they have a rising star in midfielder Leonardo Bittencourt.
Weaknesses: Have lost their two top scorers from last season (Ya Konan and Huszti).
Verdict: Summer upheavel could lead to relegation battle.
HERTHA BERLIN
Manager: Jos Luhukay
Star man: Fabian Lustenberger
Last season: 11th
Key ins: Valentin Stocker (Basel, €5m); Julian Schieber (Dortmund, €2.5m); Roy Beerens (AZ Alkmaar, €1.5m)
Key outs: Adrian Ramos (Borussia Dortmund, €10m); Pierre-Michel Lasogga (Hamburg, €8.5m)
Strengths: Stocker leads a number of strong signings that will boost a Hertha squad that tailed off in the second half of last season.
Weaknesses: Ramos accounted for 40 per cent of Hertha’s goals last season. He will be missed.
Verdict: A lack of quality and consistency in the final third means they’ll be unable to break into the top 10.
TSG 1899 HOFFENHEIM
Manager: Markus Gisdol
Star man: Roberto Firmino
Last season: 9th
Key ins: Adam Szalai (Schalke, €6m); Steven Zuber (CSKA Moscow, €3.5m); Pirmin Schwegler (Frankfurt, €2m); Oliver Baumann (Freiburg, free)
Key outs: Eren Derdiyok (Kasimpasa, €2.5m); Afriyie Acquah (Parma, €2m); Fabian Johnson (‘Gladbach, free)
Strengths: Firmino and Kevin Volland are class acts who are destined for big things. Hoffe were also the third-highest scorers last season.
Weaknesses: Shipped a whopping 70 goals, second-worst in the Bundesliga.
Verdict: If they can shore up the defence, Europe beckons.
FC KOLN
Manager: Peter Stoger
Star man: Daniel Halfar
Last season: 1st (promoted)
Key ins: Tomas Kalas (Chelsea, loan); Kevin Vogt (Augsburg, €1.5m); Yuya Osako (1860 Munich, €1m)
Key outs: Adil Chihi (Fulham, free); Sascha Bigalke (released); Kevin McKenna (released)
Strengths: Watertight defence having conceded just 20 goals in earning promotion. Have also kept their squad together, with few major exits.
Weaknesses: Lack of top-flight quality, particularly in front of goal, means they’ll have to fight for every point.
Verdict: Will be scrapping but defence should keep them safe.
FSV MAINZ 05
Head coach: Kasper Hjulmandl
Star man: Shinji Okazaki
Last season: 7th
Key ins: Filip Duricic (Benfica, loan); Stefanos Kapino (Panathinaikos, €2.2m)
Key outs: Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (Schalke, free); Nicolai Müller (Hamburg, €3m)
Strengths: Overachieved with their fast-paced, pressing game that caught many sides unawares.
Weaknesses: The key exit has been that of head coach Thomas Tuchel. He’s been the heart and soul of the club and the reason for their success.
Verdict: All depends how Hjulmandl settles. Unlikely to better last term.
SC PADERBORN 07
Manager: Andre Breitenreiter
Star man: Alban Meha
Last season: 2nd (promoted)
Key ins: Stefan Kutschke (Wolfsburg, €300,000); Lukas Rupp; Elias Kachunga (both ‘Gladbach, free); Marvin Ducksch (Dortmund, loan)
Key outs: Johannes Wurtz (Werder Bremen, loan return)
Strengths: A largely unknown quantity, while the tight 15,000-capacity Benteler Arena will be a culture shock to many opponents.
Weaknesses: Won promotion playing an attacking style but won’t stay up unless they improve defensively.
Verdict: Anything north of 16th would be a considerable achievement.
SCHALKE 04
Manager: Jens Keller
Star man: Julian Draxler
Last season: 3rd
Key ins: Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (Mainz, free); Sidney Sam (Bayer Leverkusen, €2.5m); Fabian Giefer (Dusselfdorf, free)
Key outs: Adam Szalai (Hoffenheim, €6m); Tim Hoogland (Fulham, free)
Strengths: Three of the best young players in Europe in Draxler, Max Meyer and Kaan Ayhan.
Weaknesses: Have some early season injury problems, meaning they may have to play catch-up.
Verdict: Third is best they can hope for but will have Leverkusen and Wolfsburg breathing down their necks.
VFB STUTTGART
Manager: Armin Veh
Star man: Vedad Ibisevic
Last season: 15th
Key ins: Filip Kostic (Groningen, €6m); Oriol Romeu (Chelsea, loan); Adam Hlousek (Nurnberg, €1m); Daniel Ginczek (Nurnberg, €2m)
Key outs: Arthur Boka (Malaga, free); Ibrahima Traore (‘Gladbach, free)
Strengths: Ibisevic and Romanian Alexandru Maxim are a fine strike partnership offering goals and creativity. Kostic could be an inspired signing.
Weaknesses: A succession of managerial changes have left them looking rudderless, despite a decent squad.
Verdict: Expect an improvement on last season.
SV WERDER BREMEN
Manager: Robin Dutt
Star man: Philipp Bargfrede
Last season: 12th
Key ins: Izet Hajrovic (Galatasaray, free), Alex Galvez (Ray Vallecano, free), Fin Bartels (St Pauli, free)
Key outs: Aaron Hunt (Wolfsburg, free), Mehmet Ekici (Trabzonspor, €1.6m)
Strengths: A settled squad and a fine pre-season (eight wins and two draws from 11 games) means confidence is high in Bremen.
Weaknesses: A squad which is much of a muchness, with no outstanding individuals.
Verdict: Too good to go down, not good enough to challenge the best.
VFL WOLFSBURG
Manager: Dieter Hecking
Star man: Kevin De Bruyne
Last season: 5th
Key ins: Nicklas Bendtner (Arsenal, free), Aaron Hunt (Werder Bremen, free), Sebastian Jung (Eintracht Frankfurt, €2.5m), Josuha Guilavogui (Atletico Madrid, loan)
Key outs: Vaclav Pilar (Viktoria Plzen, loan), Jan Polak (Nurnberg, free)
Strengths: A side with quality across the pitch from Ricardo Rodriguez to Luiz Gustavo, De Bruyne and Ivan Persic in midfield. Hecking has made some solid signings as well.
Weaknesses: Were undone by a slow start last season. New signings may take time to be integrated.
Verdict: All the pieces are in place for a top-four finish.