Ahead of Bayern Munich's opening Bundesliga match against Stuttgart, Müller gave an exclusive interview to German media Welt, discussing his expectations for the new season.

What can the Bundesliga learn from the World Cup?

That's a really interesting question. In terms of playing style, I don't see any new trends that Bundesliga coaches will necessarily follow. However, it's worth noting that in man-to-man marking situations, teams have generally reduced their opponents' attacking opportunities.

Bayern Munich enters the new season as defending champions. Will your old club win the title easily again?

Under Kompany's leadership, the team will never relax, because he will certainly be demanding. But I don't think any team in the Bundesliga can compete with Bayern Munich this season.

Why?

Bayern Munich is likely to accumulate roughly the same points as last season—89 points—and I think it's difficult for other teams to achieve similar results. Bayer Leverkusen did it once in the 2023-24 season with outstanding performance and many late goals.

They even reached 90 points at that time.

But that was just an exception. Of course, there are also established strong teams like Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, and Bayer Leverkusen. I also think Stuttgart is very ambitious, but I don't think they can reach more than 80 points in a season. I don't think Bayer Leverkusen will repeat that success.

Borussia Dortmund's management still believes they have a chance to win the title.

Borussia Dortmund will be strong, of course. If Bayern Munich weren't so dominant, Borussia Dortmund would be eager to win the title, but that won't happen.

Why?

Bayern Munich signed two highly promising players, Saibari and Nealy Brown, early in the season, spending a considerable amount of money—roughly 100 million euros in total—which clearly shows the team's ambition to become stronger.

Do you think Kane will struggle after the World Cup loss?

I'm sure this World Cup will not have any lasting impact on him. As long as he can maintain his physical condition from recent years, he will continue to perform well and score goals consistently.

There are several new coaches in the Bundesliga. Which one do you favor most?

I'd highlight Demichelis. Because I was teammates with him at Bayern Munich, and his current coaching experience at RB Leipzig is exciting. I will follow his progress closely.

Stuttgart's Sebastian Hoeneß has also attracted much attention. The media has suggested that if Kompany were to leave one day, Sebastian Hoeneß could become Bayern Munich's coach.

I think Sebastian Hoeneß has done an excellent job with Stuttgart. He has a clear tactical identity, and you can see he is passionate about everything. He continues to gain experience and has brought stability to a club that Stuttgart had lacked for many years. Stuttgart will still be a force to be reckoned with in the fight for Champions League qualification. However, I am reserved about Eintracht Frankfurt.

Why?

Initially, Krösche discovered some truly talented players and sold them for high prices. But recently, although the club continues to bring in talented players, Eintracht Frankfurt's overall performance has been disappointing.

Hütter is already the team's third coach in a year. I'd like to see if Eintracht Frankfurt can get back on track. Given their excellent recent form, especially winning the Europa League in 2022, expectations are naturally high.

Schalke 04 is back. How important is this to the Bundesliga?

I'm glad Schalke 04 is back in the Bundesliga. As a player, it's always a special experience to play at that stadium. The atmosphere there truly reflects the importance of football to the people of the Ruhr area. I don't expect Schalke 04 to make any major breakthroughs; their primary goal is to stay in the Bundesliga.

Just like Hamburger SV, another historic big club that did the same after returning to the first division last season.

You certainly don't want to see clubs with huge fan bases like Hamburger SV or Schalke 04 absent from the Bundesliga. At the same time, it's also appealing to see smaller clubs like Elversberg and Paderborn, who earn promotion through hard work and a clear philosophy.

AF's PC site is now live! Browse full news, comments, match details and stats on your computer. Visit: www.allfootballapp.com