Bundesliga 2016-17 preview: Tons of talking points beyond Bayern Munich

Last summer, the Bundesliga overtook the Premier League in UEFA coefficient for the first time in a decade and a half. That means, from top to bottom, German sides fared better than English sides in European competition over the previous five seasons. Such news doesn’t fire a shot across England’s bow, however, so much as it demonstrates the uptick in German soccer.

Bayern Munich is the class of this country, no question. The Bavarians have won an unprecedented four straight Bundesliga titles and remain heavy, heavy favorites to finish atop the table once again.

But perhaps a challenger is stirring 370 miles to the west. To the Westfalenstadion, more specifically, where Borussia Dortmund shook off its stumble in 2014-15 to finish second last season.

Or maybe a new club everybody loves to hate is about to buy its way to German glory. Given the strength of the league, it won’t be easy. And in any event, it won’t be decided until next spring.

For the time being, here’s what to watch as the 2016-17 Bundesliga campaign begins.

Can Bayern Munich win the competition it actually wants to win?

Flippancy aside, the absence of a Champions League trophy somewhat clouded Pep Guardiola’s tenure. He’s departed Munich for Manchester, and in his place comes Carlo Ancelotti, a five-time winner of the competition as both player and manager.

With respect to continental superiority, perhaps it’s for the best. Ancelotti likely won’t scrap the possession-based, bait-and-barrel-forward style of Guardiola’s Bayern — he’s not here for revolution, mind you — but he will bring a more soothing, empathetic presence to the touchline. That can be critical at a club like Bayern Munich, where every match, from November fixture in Cologne to European final, is scrutinized down to the bone.

To assist that grind, Bayern strengthened in the transfer market, adding central defender Mats Hummels and fast-rising midfielder Renato Sanches. Hummels effectively forced his way out of Dortmund to return to the club where he spent his entire youth career, and he steps into what’s possibly now the strongest defense in Europe. Sanches, meanwhile, is fresh off being named Young Player of the Tournament at Euro 2016, a Swiss army knife of a midfielder who’s two years from his 21st birthday and a few more from realizing his expansive potential.

Bayern didn’t bolster without bidding a couple farewells – more on that in a second – and bringing the injured, aging old guard back into the fold is already proving difficult. But that’s what Ancelotti’s here for. That, and bringing the Champions League crown back to the Bavarian capital with a couple other trophies in tow.

Can Borussia Dortmund mount a serious title challenge?

The last team to win the Bundesliga outside of Bayern Munich is Borussia Dortmund. The only team to seriously challenge Bayern Munich domestically over the past few seasons is Borussia Dortmund.

Is this the year the league title returns to Borussia Dortmund?

Conventional wisdom says no, but Thomas Tuchel’s men can’t be bothered with conventional wisdom, not when the club has been as busy as anyone in the transfer market. Dortmund sold Hummels to Bayern, Henrik Mkhitaryan to Manchester United and Ilkay Gundogan to Manchester City for a total price of over €100 million.

The money was put to good use. Dortmund dealt a slight blow to Bayern’s depth by bringing over Mario Gotze and Sebastian Rode, weakened another rival by signing Andre Schurrle from VFL Wolfsburg, replaced Hummels with ex-Barcelona center half Marc Bartra, and plumbed France for talented youngster Ousmane Dembele, who’s already humiliated at least one big-name club this summer.

Combined with goal-scoring machine Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, captain Marco Reus and the rest of Dortmund’s robust attacking contingent, Tuchel can continue to implement his carefully constructed system of position and possession.

The question is, will it be enough to keep up with Bayern’s scorching pace of point collection? Even if the number of players Dortmund signed is greater than the number it lost, the net talent is not. Even the most optimistic viewer would have to agree that Dortmund won’t win the league without a serious Bayern stumble.

Or, you know, the unprecedented ascent of a budding USMNT star.

How will the Americans fare?

Nine members of the United States national team player pool ply their trade amid the first teams of the Bundesliga. That’s the highest concentration of any of the major European leagues.

Perhaps the most intriguing of the Baby Nats is Christian Pulisic, the 17-year-old attacking mid who broke into Borussia Dortmund’s first team last season and showcased his technical ability and threat in 1-on-1 situations. Despite not featuring against Bayern Munich in the DFL-Supercup last Sunday, Pulisic seems to want to stay in West Germany, and the club seems to want to keep him around to see how he develops.

Pulisic isn’t the only Yank working to earn regular appearances. Julian Green was named to Bayern Munich’s first team for the first time in his career, though it’s hardly a guarantee he’ll see the pitch. Aron Johannsson is still recovering from a hip injury with Werder Bremen. Bobby Wood is hoping to make an impact after signing a four-year deal with Hamburger SV last May. Alfredo Morales will help FC Ingolstadt fight off relegation, while Timothy Chandler (Eintracht Frankfurt) and Terrence Boyd (RB Leipzig) are merely looking for opportunities.

Two USMNT stars figure to play prominently roles in the chase for Champions League spots. Fabian Johnson features regularly in wide positions for Borussia Monchengladbach, while John Brooks (yes, that one) is a first-choice center back for Hertha BSC. And though he’s not American, Mexican international Javier Hernandez is coming off a superb 17-goal season for Bayer Leverkusen, so CONCACAF supporters will take a keen interest in the club’s pursuit of a top-four spot.

So there’s plenty of reason for U.S. fans to root for Bundesliga teams. German fans, meanwhile, will be rooting against one team in particular.

Everybody hates RB Leipzig

So here’s the deal with this newly promoted side: It was only founded seven years ago, and in that time it’s risen from the fifth tier to the Bundesliga by splashing cash and circumventing every rule you can imagine.

Naturally, this has riled up fans across the country. The most egregious offense, in their eyes, is how RB Leipzig violated the so-called “50+1” rule for clubs. In essence, the rule keeps voting power with members (i.e. the fans) when it comes to electing a club’s governing board.

RB Leipzig follows the rule, but only in the loosest sense of the word, considering it charges a ludicrous €800 to become a member in the first place. That way, the club can choose its own influence and wield the financial power of owner Dietrich Mateschitz, who co-founded energy drink giant Red Bull.

Many argue the club was founded merely to print money, but at the risk of apologizing for the soulless side of sport, there seems to be genuine ambition to unseat Bayern Munich atop the Bundesliga. Then again, such success would yield even more cash, so expect RB Leipzig to be derided mercilessly by opposing fans and even Leipzig residents as the season progresses. In the broadest sense, the question of just how much further the club can climb this season is nothing if not tantalizing.

RB Leipzig will be the first East German side in the top flight since 2009, when Energie Cottbus lost the relegation playoff. Speaking of which …

Will the 2. Bundesliga win the relegation playoff for the first time in five years?

The Bundesliga does relegation a little differently than the other major European leagues. And it’s more fun.

Instead of automatically relegating the bottom three teams in the 18-team table, the Bundesliga relegates the bottom two teams but gives the 16th-place side a chance to save itself. That chance comes against the third-place team in the second tier in a two-leg playoff for the last Bundesliga spot.

It typically makes for an exciting affair, though the German Football Association hasn’t always agreed. The relegation playoff was instituted in the 1981 season then halted in 1992, and then it was reinstated for the 2008-09 season. Since then, only twice has the 2. Bundesliga side earned its way into the top flight.

One of those was in 2009, when Nurnberg defeated the aforementioned Energie Cottbus. The other was in 2012, when Hertha BSC lost to Fortuna Dusseldorf.

Will it happen again this season? We’ll find out.

We’ll find out a lot soon. The 54th season of the Bundesliga begins Friday.