Bayern Munich 2024-25 season preview: Vincent Kompany's side facing uphill battle to dethrone new Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen - with Harry Kane's Euro 2024 struggles a real cause for concern

Bayern's die-hard fans knew their monopoly of the Bundesliga title wouldn't last forever, but their meek surrender to Leverkusen left a bitter taste. That feeling of resentment increased as the club struggled to offload players deemed surplus to requirements, but Kompany has gradually been able to mould the squad in his image, leading to an injection of fresh optimism.

The Manchester City legend wasn't the dream successor for Tuchel, but has quickly set about endearing himself to the Bayern faithful. Kompany has come across very sympathetically in his first few press conferences and GOAL understands that he is in regular contact with the fans about the team's progress.

The 38-year-old has cleverly earned their trust and supporters now believe he is the right man to get the club back where it belongs, despite his lack of top-level coaching experience. That doesn't mean he will be let off the hook if Bayern get off to a bad start, though, with a crucial showdown against Leverkusen pencilled in for matchday five.

Bayern have signed five new players in the summer transfer window so far, including 21-year-old German striker Armindo Sieb, though he has been sent straight out on loan to Mainz. Japan international Hiroki Ito has also been snapped up after a superb season at Stuttgart, and should add real quality to the Bayern defence, but their most exciting additions have come from the Premier League.

Michael Olise and Joao Palhinha have joined for a combined fee of €104m (£89m/$114m), with the former taking on a new challenge in Germany after establishing himself among Europe's most promising young attackers at Crystal Palace. Palhinha, meanwhile, became the most important player in Marco Silva's Fulham set-up, and the 29-year-old will be raring to go after seeing his move to Allianz Arena delayed by a full year.

Bayern have also been busy cutting the deadwood, with United States midfielder Malik Tillmansold to PSV after a strong loan spell at Philips Stadion, while defensive duo Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui joined Manchester United in a joint €70m (£60m/$76m) deal.

Kingsley Coman looks set to follow those three towards the exits amid interest from Barcelona, and Leon Goretzka has been reported as being surplus to requirements in recent weeks. Joshua Kimmich, Alphonso Davies and Leroy Sane, meanwhile, have all entered the final year of their contracts, meaning they could yet be sold if no breakthroughs over new deals are made.

In terms of potential further incomings, with a deal for priority centre-back target Jonathan Tah has collapsed despite the Germany international reportedly agreeing on the move after rejecting a new deal at Leverkusen. Stealing Tah away from their main Bundesliga rivals would have been a huge coup, but the core of Alonso's group remains intact for now, and Bayern may still need to dip back into the market to increase their depth before the summer window slams shut on August 31.

Kompany kicked-off his reign with a crazy 14-1 friendly win against Rottach-Egern at their Tegernese training camp, which saw teenager Mathys Tel bag a hat-trick. Bayern were given a far sterner test by FC Duren in their next pre-season outing, though, as they were held to a 1-1 draw by the fourth-tier side despite playing a strong line up including new signing Ito, Goretzka, Tel, Eric Dier and Raphael Guerreiro.

Bayern then jetted off to South Korea for the first of two glamour friendlies against Tottenham, and picked up an impressive 2-1 victory thanks to goals from Gabriel Vidovic and Goretzka. Kompany was able to welcome back all of his main stars for the second game in north London, including Kane, and Spurs struggled to cope with Bayern's incisive build-up play as the German giants posted 21 shots on goal, eventually running out 3-2 winners.

Kompany was most happy that his players showed the "right mentality" with a disciplined performance against strong opposition, which they replicated in their penultimate friendly outing. Kane was among the scorers in a 3-0 romp against Austrian outfit Tirol, who chased their own shadows for 90 minutes as Bayern bossed possession.

It was the perfect end to a minimal pre-season schedule that left the Bayern squad in top physical shape for the new campaign, which began in earnest with a DFB-Pokal first-round clash against Bundesliga. 2 outfit Ulm on Friday. Bayern were once again far more crisp with their passing than last term as they strolled to a 4-0 win, thanks to a brace from Thomas Muller and late Coman and Kane efforts

That was backed up by a final 4-0 friendly win over Grasshoppers Zurich, as Olise opened his account for the club with a stunning strike, and the early signs suggest that the players have fully bought into Kompany's philosophy.

There is no way to sugar-coat it: Kompany's final season at Burnley was a disaster. The Clarets spent £90m ($115m) on 10 new players after gaining promotion, but few had any real Premier League experience, and they all struggled to adapt to the intensity of top-flight football.

Kompany tweaked his formation to try and tighten things up midway through the campaign, but Burnley couldn't compete physically and lacked quality at both ends of the pitch, which is why they went straight back down. Some of the blame for Burnley's poor recruitment choices can be laid at Kompany's door, and a recent viral video of his overly harsh training communication suggests the frustration over poor results got the better of him, but the he admirably stuck to his core principles to the very end.

Burnley's 2022-23 Championship campaign is presumably what Bayern officials judged Kompany on, in the main. Kompany guided the Clarets to the title while breaking the 100-point barrier, and the football they played was a joy to behold. With a 3-3-3-1 or 3-2-2-3 shape in possession, Kompany placed a focus on playing out from the back with rotation in a number of positions, patiently waiting for the opposition to leave gaps before stepping on the gas.

Off the ball, Kompany's Burnley would typically revert to a 4-3-3, 4-4-2 or a 4-2-3-1 formation and press man-for-man, pouncing on mistakes with ruthless efficiency. At Bayern, Kompany is blessed with a set of players who are not only far better technically, but also superior athletically, which will allow him to bring back his preferred system - perhaps with even greater results.

Harry Kane was one of the few members of the Bayern squad who still had his dignity intact by the end of last season. The 33-time Bundesliga champions failed to win a trophy for the first time in 12 years, but not for a lack of effort from Kane, who scored 44 goals in all competitions after his big-money move from Tottenham.

Bayern finally found their true successor to Robert Lewandowski, and Kane was desperately unlucky not to break his silverware duck. The 31-year-old was ruthless in front of goal, but also impressed with his link-play as he formed a strong understanding with the likes of Jamal Musiala and Sane, and his ability to draw fouls often took the pressure off Bayern in tight games.

If that version of Kane shows up again in 2024-25, with Olise also now on hand to provide him with service, Bayern should be able to push Leverkusen close and enjoy another strong Champions League run. Kane is a deadly weapon when operating on full cylinders and could make the difference down the finishing stretch.

That being said, Bayern should be concerned about how disappointing Kane was at Euro 2024. He won a share of the Golden Boot with three goals during England's run to the final, but his involvement in general play was almost non-existent and his first touch was surprisingly poor throughout the tournament.

Although Kane has publicly denied carrying an injury, it was clear he wasn't 100 percent fit, and Bayern must be careful not to rush him back into the fold because they don't have anyone to provide cover. There is also no telling whether Kane will carry any demons from the Euros, and Kompany's man-management skills could be tested in the early weeks of the season.

According to Sky Germany, Kompany sees huge potential in Adam Aznou, the Moroccan full-back who began his career in Barcelona's famed La Masia academy before joining Bayern in 2022. The 18-year-old is still waiting for his first senior appearance at Allianz Arena, but played a key role in the Under-19s run to the UEFA Youth League quarter-finals last season.

Aznou also featured in 11 games for Bayern's reserves, and Kompany gave him a chance to prove himself with the first team during pre-season. The talented youngster played the full 90 minutes in the win over Tirol, racing forward to deliver crosses at every opportunity while also stepping into the middle of the pitch with real confidence.

Aznou is being touted as a long-term successor to Davies by Bayern officials, and with the Canada international due to become a free agent in 2025 amid speculation he is already in talks with Rea Madrid, he could leave a spot open at left-back for Aznou, who will surely be pushing for a regular role under Kompany as the season progresses.

Bayern have to win back the Bundesliga crown. That will be the minimum requirement for Kompany, though it may still not be enough to keep him in the job.

Getting to the latter stages of the Champions League is also essential; had Tuchel guided Bayern past Real Madrid in last season's thrilling semi-final tie then he probably would have been offered the new two-year contract he wanted, instead of the chance to just see out his original deal to 2025 - which he refused. Club CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen and president Herbert Hainer will expect Bundesliga glory, but Bayern are always judged more closely on their performance in Europe against the very best teams.

To do that, Kompany will have to transform Bayern back into a cohesive unit, which they never were under Tuchel. That means successfully implementing his style and making sure every player sticks to their role, while cutting out the basic errors that cost them results consistently in 2023-24.

There is no question that Bayern have enough quality going forward. Musiala was Germany's best player at the Euros and his technical brilliance can give Bayern the edge in any game. Sane, Gnabry, Olise and Tel can all provide the natural width to stretch defences, and Kane will be on hand to finish.

But the central midfielder area will look thin if Kimmich leaves, and the centre-back partnership of Dayot Upmecano and Kim min-Jae really hasn't worked. Bayern should be able to improve on last season and land a trophy, but supporters may have to temper their expectations somewhat, because it won't be an easy road back to the top - especially if they fail to make anymore signings.

Player of the Season: Jamal Musiala - Musiala will become the heartbeat of this Bayern team and set new personal bests for goals and assists. He reached a new level with Germany at the Euros, which puts him in the ideal position to become a leading man for his club.

Biggest disappointment: Manuel Neuer - Neuer will see his No.1 role come under serious threat from Sven Ulreich. The German legend's shot-stopping abilities have been in serious decline for some time, and he will cost Bayern plenty of points in the first half of the season.

Best signing: Michael Olise - Provided he puts his injury troubles behind him once and for all, Olise can become Bayern's new first choice right-winger. He's already an accomplished ball carrier with superb end product - and could also provide Bayern with plenty of cheap goals if he's trusted to take free-kicks.

Top scorer: Harry Kane - Kane finished just five goals short of Lewandowski's Bundesliga record for goals in a single season (41) last term, and will pass the 30-mark once again. When fully fit, he's the best all round centre-forward in the business and Bayern should be even better set up to maximise his strengths after some smart transfer moves.

European fate: Quarter-finals - Bayern won't get as close to Champions League glory this time around, with a painful last-eight exit on the cards (unless they get a very favourable draw). The likes of Real Madrid, Manchester City and returning giants Liverpool all have the quality and know-how to oust Kompany's side, who won't be feared by Leverkusen, Italian champions Inter or Barcelona, either.

League position: 2nd - A second-placed Bundesliga finish beckons for Bayern. Leverkusen won't run away with it again, but they are much further ahead in their development as a team and should have enough to retain their crown.