SPOX's take: Some major blunders, but a few spot-on predictions too!

Bundesliga, Logo

If anyone knows their football, it's the editors at SPOX. As usual, we staked our expertise before the campaign kicked off, fully aware that our reputations were on the line. And while some calls were spot-on, others left us red-faced. Here are the bold predictions we made for the 2025/26 Bundesliga season.

We previously put forward several bold claims about Eintracht Frankfurt, Niko Kovac and Nick Woltemade – but which ones have been proved correct? Let's review...

Borussia Dortmund v Juventus FC - Pre-Season Friendly

Jude Bellingham is poised to assume the role of BVB's uncontested leader from day one.

By Jochen Tittmar

Jobe Bellingham began on the bench for BVB's scrappy DFB-Pokal win in Essen due to dental surgery, not because the €30 million newcomer had to prove his worth to Niko Kovac. Felix Nmecha, his current "main rival", did little to strengthen his claim, further underlining the point.

On the contrary, I am convinced the young Englishman will instantly become a leader of this directionless side and quickly prove indispensable. Since his arrival, Bellingham has impressed everyone at BVB with his maturity, personality and clarity, and he will soon translate those qualities onto the pitch, just as his brother Jude did after his own move to Borussia.

He will swiftly emerge as the undisputed leader, driving the team with energy, passion, stamina and fighting spirit. The only remaining question is where he fits best. Like many in the Dortmund squad, he is neither a classic defensive midfielder nor a playmaker.

Kovac is expected to start him in a more attacking role, though if the defensive-midfield puzzle remains unsolved, a switch deeper could be on the cards. Either way, Bellingham is poised to carve out his own distinctive path—just like Jude—and eventually deliver a tidy transfer windfall for Borussia.

Sport-Club Freiburg v Eintracht Frankfurt - Bundesliga

Eintracht Frankfurt finish as runners-up

By Justin Kraft

Behind the record champions, just as much chaos reigns. The transfer market has stalled, and wealthy suitors from England and Saudi Arabia are making it harder for clubs to strengthen or even hold on to their squads. 

Bayer Leverkusen is on the verge of a fresh start; BVB has been searching for one for many years but seems unable to find it, and other contenders for Champions League places are also faltering. This creates a significant opportunity for Eintracht Frankfurt. 

True, the Eagles have lost key men: Omar Marmoush departed in January, and Hugo Ekitike has followed him out the door, leaving a gap up front. Yet the squad's experienced spine remains intact, and that continuity could be Frankfurt's secret weapon. RB Leipzig, by contrast, are also in a state of flux.

A strong start could put Frankfurt in contention for even the runners-up spot.

supercup-woltemade-1200

By 2026, bids for Nick Woltemade are expected to reach 30 million euros.

By Daniel Buse

The protracted transfer saga of the summer has Nick Woltemade at its centre. As early as late June—roughly two months ago—FC Bayern Munich had reached an agreement with the VfB Stuttgart striker. So far, so good from Bayern's perspective. However, Stuttgart—reluctant to lose their striker—held firm, demanding a reported 75 million euros.

In a year's time, the Swabians will likely regret their stance, because no club will then be willing to pay the €65 million that Bayern reportedly offered. It won't be because Woltemade has forgotten how to play football. After a solid but unspectacular season, the Bundesliga's former hot prospect will have cooled, and his price tag will drop.

Once the initial hype fades, Woltemade will find the going tougher; the easy headlines will disappear, and transfer speculation will flare intermittently. Whether Bayern still want him in 12 months is uncertain. And should other suitors approach Stuttgart, the club will never again command the fee they could have secured this summer.

Erik ten Hag

Erik ten Hag will leave his post in Leverkusen by the winter break at the latest.

By Christian Guinin

With the departures of Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Granit Xhaka, Lukas Hradecky, Jonathan Tah and Odilon Kossounou, Bayer 04 Leverkusen has effectively lost the backbone of its championship-winning season this summer. In my view, the departure of the coach hurts even more: after just over two and a half years, Xabi Alonso is leaving to answer the call of his former club, Real Madrid.

Some might argue that finding a successor is always tough after a trophy-laden spell, but the decision to appoint Erik ten Hag has still dampened many fans' hopes for the new campaign.

During his previous spell in Manchester, ten Hag lacked the qualities needed to be competitive at the very highest level. Under his leadership, United not only lacked a fundamental game plan, but his conduct in difficult situations and his communication within the team—exposed by the controversies surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho—were anything but ideal.

Apart from his reasonably successful spell at Ajax, Ten Hag has not exactly covered himself in glory elsewhere, so convincing a brand-new squad to play attractive, winning football seems a long shot. As a result, Leverkusen's hopes of returning to the Champions League appear slim. Ten Hag? He is unlikely to survive past the winter break.

FC Augsburg will contest the relegation play-offs with Sandro Wagner.

By David Heermann

FC Augsburg are a perennial under-the-radar side that usually finishes 15th or higher. Not this time: the club is heading for the relegation play-offs, and I put that down to the hype surrounding Sandro Wagner.

While Wagner is far from the worst manager, he is no Julian Nagelsmann, capable of rebuilding a side from the ground up or installing a bold tactical blueprint. Instead, he is a pragmatic, emotionally charged coach who can spark a club. But can he really spark the FCA?

The WWK-Arena is a pleasant venue, but it lacks the raw intensity of grounds like the Millerntor or Stadion an der Alten Försterei. 

The squad is neither exceptional nor safe, and with half the division potentially dragged into a relegation fight, this prediction is bold but not implausible.

FC St. Pauli 1910 v TSG 1899 Hoffenheim - Bundesliga

Bazoumana Toure is set to move to England in 2026 for a fee of at least €30 million.

By Dennis Klose

Bazoumana Toure moved from Hammarby IF to TSG Hoffenheim last winter for ten million euros. Many wondered at the time: that much money for an 18-year-old from the Swedish league?

Hoffenheim's managing director, Andreas Schicker, urged patience: "He will be given the time he needs to settle in here in the Kraichgau at his own pace and take the next steps in his sporting career."

Yet the second half of the campaign proved he was ready: 13 appearances, three assists and a crucial role in the club's survival. This term, the 19-year-old has established himself as a fixture in the starting XI, despite competition from 14 attackers at one stage.

Some fans have yet to hear of the nimble winger, but "Bazou", as he is known in the dressing room, is expected to keep improving and could head to the Premier League as early as 2026, with a fee of at least 30 million euros anticipated for his signature.

Niko Kovac

Niko Kovac is unlikely to see out the season as BVB's head coach.

By Justin Kraft

A sluggish start in the transfer market and a second half of the season that papered over deeper issues have set the stage at BVB once again—this time for another potentially disastrous campaign. Just as Niko Kovac was underestimated at the outset, he is now being overrated. Kovac excels at instilling a fundamental mindset rooted in the famous German virtues. Yet he has never stayed at any club for very long.

His teams often hit a ceiling when the initial mental intensity fades and tactical shortcomings become apparent. Sustained success in Dortmund demands a clear playing identity and improved possession structures—something Kovac could not establish at Bayern Munich, even with a stronger squad.

Now he must shape a squad whose composition still raises questions—a legacy of previous strategic drift and a turbulent 2025 summer transfer window. 

Kovac could still surprise by learning from past mistakes. A more realistic scenario is that Dortmund will stumble through another inconsistent first half, cling too long to the notion that the second-half surge of 2024 proved something, and then react too late—by removing Kovac from the touchline.

Deniz Undav is set to finish as the league's top scorer with more than 25 goals.

By Aleksander Swiatek

Throughout the summer, there was only one topic on everyone's lips about VfB Stuttgart: what is Nick Woltemade up to? That is about to change, however, as over the next nine months one man will become the new face of a VfB side that is once again playing with ferocity: Deniz Undav.

The burly striker will finally stay fit and strike fear into the Bundesliga with his powerful shot. Harry Kane? Serhou Guirassy? Woltemade? 

No one will come close to his blend of physicality and guile, and he will finish top scorer with at least 25 goals. Come May, suitors will be lining up.

Ole Werner is set to become the first manager sacked this season.

By Aleksander Swiatek

According to fans and experts, several sides already look vulnerable this term. Yet it is not Leverkusen, Bremen or HSV who suffer the first major setback—I will kindly overlook the first round of the DFB Cup—but RB Leipzig.

With Benjamin Sesko departed, the club lacks a proven goalscorer, and Xavi Simons appears already distracted by the allure of the Premier League. Yussuf Poulsen's absence will probably hurt more in the dressing room than on the pitch. Questions also linger on the bench.

Yes, Ole Werner laid the foundations for promotion in Kiel and has firmly established Bremen in the Bundesliga. But it's no secret that the bar isn't set as high in the north of the country as it is at a club backed by a billion-pound soft-drink manufacturer. 

Especially since the same group has installed one of the century's most successful managers as "Head of Global Soccer", Werner will have little time to settle at his first top-flight club.

My scenario is simple: Werner will take a beating in Leipzig's opener at Munich and pick up no more than one win in the next six matches. By the time HSV collect three points off Leipzig on matchday seven at the latest, Jürgen Klopp's blinding white-tooth smile will have faded—and RB will be the first club of the season to show their manager the door.

Luis Diaz

Luis Díaz has outscored Michael Olise.

By David Heermann

I am not suggesting that Michael Olise will have a poor season; he will remain one of Bayern's most influential players. Nevertheless, Luis Diaz is underrated.

His Liverpool numbers were never eye-popping, but that partly reflected competing with Mohamed Salah's astronomical goal and assist tallies. Nevertheless, the Colombian was a pillar of the side that won last season's league title. 

In the Bundesliga, where many defences are less resilient than Premier League cellar-dwellers, he could rack up impressive goal and assist tallies. Olise enjoyed a standout campaign and, alongside Harry Kane, was Bayern's only consistent attacking threat last term. 

I expect a friendly scoring duel between the pair, and ultimately Diaz will finish ahead.

Merlin Polzin works his magic to take HSV to Europe

By Ole Labes

When this thought first occurred to me, the campaign kick-off was still four weeks away and HSV's pre-season friendlies looked like a promotion hangover. Admittedly, nothing that has happened since then inspires confidence in a glorious European future for the club.

Yet the wave of euphoria sweeping the Hanseatic city shows no sign of abating, even after a underwhelming pre-season. The signings look promising: Nicolai Remberg from Kiel and Nicolas Capaldo from RB Salzburg have raised the midfield's quality to Bundesliga level, Rayan Philippe virtually kept Braunschweig in the 2. Bundesliga on his own, and Yussuf Poulsen brings plenty of experience to the Volksparkstadion. 

Much now rides on Jordan Torunarigha, the newly installed defensive leader. At 28, he recently appeared off the pace rather than anchoring the back line, so a strong campaign demands that the centre-back prove he was underrated during his years in Belgium. 

Coach Merlin Polzin, 34, enjoys full backing from fans, players and the club's hierarchy; he has installed a fresh identity and belief. Jean-Luc Dompe and set-piece specialist Miro Muheim make the left flank a match for most Bundesliga opposition. 

The top six—Bayern, Dortmund, Stuttgart, Frankfurt, Leipzig and Leverkusen—are unlikely to be dislodged, but behind them the race is open. With the right blend of euphoria, the cauldron of the Volksparkstadion and Polzin's magic, Hamburg can defy the doubters, even if pre-season results have yet to prove it.

Haris Tabakovic has reached double figures for his goal tally this season with Borussia Mönchengladbach.

By David Heermann

Yes, Gladbach's loan striker Haris Tabakovic has shown in the cup too that he is still struggling. Nevertheless, I believe that the Bosnian is being fed so well by players like Kevin Stöger, Robin Hack and Franck Honorat that he might even make us forget Tim Kleindienst for a while. 

His records at Austria Vienna (42 games, 21 goals) and Hertha BSC (39 games, 25 goals) prove his finishing ability. Last term was a different story: he joined a club in disarray. 

At Hoffenheim, there was no consistency; almost every player was shuttling back and forth between the stands, the bench and the starting line-up. His teammates' performances were often dreadful, too. How is one supposed to settle into a new club in such circumstances?

At Borussia, by contrast, the service from midfield—both open play and set pieces—should be far more consistent, and that alone could unlock his predatory instincts. Feed him decent balls, and he will score.

Werder-Kapitän Marco Friedl

Werder Bremen finished behind Hamburg SV and were relegated.

By Tim Ursinus

HSV and Bremen have hardly covered themselves in glory so far; both squads are unbalanced, making a relegation battle inevitable. SVW, however, looks even more chaotic. I expect Werder to finish behind their arch-rivals and drop to the second tier—a view I held long before their predictable cup exit.

Now nerves are frayed: captain Marco Friedl speaks of considerable "pressure on the club" and rightly points the finger at sporting director Clemens Fritz's squad planning. Departures have gone unaddressed, and there is no depth to speak of. The attack, in particular, needs reinforcements after Marvin Ducksch's exit. The protracted absence of new signing Maximilian Wöber and ongoing goalkeeping uncertainty have only deepened the unease on the Weser.

Although Fritz has promised more signings, the prolonged inactivity is hard to defend. The task for new coach Horst Steffen, who is making his Bundesliga debut, would have been tough enough without the constant distractions of the transfer window. 

With the squad still adjusting to his methods, Steffen must first sell his vision to the reinforcements who have yet to arrive. The standard pre-season goal—arriving at matchday one as a cohesive unit—remains unmet. 

If the opening match goes wrong, the "cauldron" could explode, and once a team is in a downward spiral, escape is difficult. It shapes up to be a very long season for Werder—or as Mats Hummels' partner Nicola might put it: "Oh Brrreemen."

Dzenan Pejcinovic has netted more than ten goals for Wolfsburg and is now attracting attention from the German Football Association.

By Ole Labes

Dzenan who? Unless you followed the junior Bundesliga leagues or Fortuna Düsseldorf closely last year, the name Dzenan Pejcinovic may be unfamiliar. Yet the German youth international could start the new season as VfL Wolfsburg's first-choice striker – and, if he does, national team manager Julian Nagelsmann would be wise to watch closely. 

The 17-year-old striker arrived from FC Augsburg for €1.25 million and possesses the ideal attributes for a modern centre-forward: he stands 1.90 metres tall, finishes clinically with both feet and his head, and boasts impressive technical ability. 

In the first round of the DFB-Pokal, the 19-year-old tore through Oberliga side SV Hemlingen for three goals and an assist, a reminder that strikers must punish even minnows. Ten Bundesliga goals is well within his sights. 

In the battle with Jonas Wind, Pejcinovic currently holds the upper hand, while last season's top scorer, Mohamed Amoura, is expected to depart—clearing the path for the youngster's first campaign as a regular starter. 

His profile even hints at a future role in the DFB squad, especially since established stars Tim Kleindienst and Niclas Füllkrug must re-prove themselves. Why not blood a young super-sub ahead of the World Cup?

FC Bayern München v Tottenham Hotspurs - Pre-Season Friendly

Lennart Karl has recorded ten goal contributions for FC Bayern.

By Justin Kraft

There's been plenty of discussion this summer about the FC Bayern Munich squad. One reason for the perceived lack of depth is that the club's academy graduates are chronically underestimated—even by the club's own officials. The repeated failure of young talents in recent years proves it.

Bayern's current austerity drive and strategic uncertainty now open the door for 17-year-old Lennart Karl. He will seize his chance and record at least ten Bundesliga points.

He has the talent, the self-confidence and a carefree attitude that suits Munich's often dramatic Säbener Straße scene. Now the sixth or seventh option in attack, his emergence will ultimately benefit Bayern.