If Vincent Kompany could have orchestrated the ideal opening Bundesliga weekend for his Bayern Munich; then this would be damn near it!
The 2024/25 champions totally dismantled one of their direct rivals for the title, in the season curtain-raiser on Friday night. Then, with a 6-0 win over Red Bull Leipzig in their pockets, the other Bundesliga 2025 results pretty much went to plan. The 2024 champions Bayer Leverkusen lost at home and Borussia Dortmund surrendered a two goal lead.
Over the past three summers, the Bavarians have cherry picked some exciting and proven talent from the Premier League. In 2023, Harry Kane signed for the German giants and, while his new club failed in 2023/24, the former Spurs man won his first Bundesliga title last season when he lined up alongside Michael Olise who had flown in from Crystal Palace. Olise went from strength to strength last term and now he and Kane are linking up with the 2025 arrival, Colombian winger Luis Diaz, who signed from England champions Liverpool.
And all three were on the mark as Bayern thrashed Red Bull in the most brutal fashion, Kane with three, Olise with two and Diaz with one.
It was former Eagle Olise who dominated the first half with a double, either side of Diaz’ debut goal and with the hosts coasting into half time with a winning lead, Kane was determined not to be out-done, and the 32 year old goal machine scored a second half hat-trick: “After we went into half time 3-0 up I said to myself, ‘I have to get on the score sheet’”, said the England captain. And he certainly delivered, collecting his seventh Bundesliga hat-trick before he was subbed off to a standing ovation.
So Ole Werner’s reign as Red Bull Leipzig manager started with a chastening reality check and now he needs to pick his team up before they return home to take on FC Heidenheim next week. Meanwhile, the Bundesliga 2025 betting odds doubled down on the Bavarians after this outstanding start and the strife suffered by their main rivals.
Ten Hag’s losing start in Leverkusen
Our SBOTOP friend Jordan said TSG Hoffenheim would provide a stiff test for Leverkusen and boy, was he right as Erik Ten Hag’s firs game in charge of Die Werkself ended in a 2-1 home defeat. It all started pretty well as Jarell Quansah opened the scoring on six minutes, connecting with a cross from Alex Grimaldo, but Fisnik Asllani levelled on 25 minutes and then he teed up Tim Lemperle to plunder the winner for Hoffenhein early in the second half.
Leverkusen’s defending looked a little shaky for both the TSG goals, but they were strangely toothless up front, registering just seven shots and two on target. The hosts had the majority of possession and took control of the ball with 87 per cent passing accuracy but they were found wanting at both ends of the pitch.
Dortmund self combust in Hamburg
Niko Kovac’s Borussia Dortmund could well be Bayern’s biggest challengers this season, but five minutes of madness took two points away from BVB as they drew 3-3 away to St Pauli. Seemingly coasting at 3-1 up, a penalty and a red card to Filippo Mane turned the game on its head and, with a one goal lead to protect Die Schwarzgelben blew it.
Serhou Guirassy headed Dortmund into a 34th-minute lead but then he missed a penalty five minutes later, and St Pauli took advantage when Andreas Hountondji, on loan from Burnley, scored a cracker. BVB went into a two goal lead as Waldermar Anton’s shot took a kind deflection and Julian Brandt finished calmly to make it 3-1.
But there was nothing calm about Mane’s contribution as he fouled Abdoulaye Ceesay to earn a straight red card and Danel Sinani scored from the spot to set up a grandstand finish. And it was captain Eric Smith who earned a point with a low shot which flew into the corner.
This was a great result for the minnows but a hugely frustrating outcome for Borussia Dortmund, who failed to win their first game of a new Bundesliga campaign for the first time in a decade.
Eagles look set to soar again
While most of Bayern’s rivals had a shocker of a weekend Eintracht Frankfurt, who finished third last term, made no mistake in their opener as they dismantled Werder Bremen 4-1. Dino Toppmoller’s Eagles got off to a flyer and were three goals to the good as Can Uzun opened the scoring and Jean-Matteo Bahoya helped himself to a brace, to take the game away from Werder Bremen minutes into the second half. Justin Njinmah briefly gave Bremen some hope, but it was very slim and totally extinguished when Ansgar Knauff made it 4-1 with 20 minutes remaining.
The Eagles had 18 shots and five on target, compared to ten shots and five on target from Bremen in an entertaining game with the near perfect outcome for the hosts.
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