Hey everyone! The Bundesliga is back! Well... almost. It’s officially nine days until Dortmund’s first Bundesliga match against Bayer Leverkusen and we’ve decided to start a countdown. Over the course of the next nine days, we will be releasing daily articles, roundups, deep dives, and more in addition to our usual content. Feel free to let us know what you think of the idea, the articles we release, and even some content that you want to see over the course of the season!

Now with that out of the way, it felt only right to begin our countdown with Zac Weilminster and me tackling 9 predictions for this upcoming season. So without further adieu, let’s begin our countdown!

1. Who will win the Bundesliga?

Patrick

The correct answer here is probably Bayern Munich. The fun answer is Dortmund. The trouble-stirring, contrarian, unlikable answer is RB Leipzig. So, I’ve decided to go with them. They’ve kept Nkunku, replaced Laimer with Schlager, have a good coach for an entire season, and now look like they might bring in Raum. Their young squad will only get better this season and, after last season’s DFB Pokal victory, have proven they can win tough games. As much as it pains me to say it, I think Leipzig could win the Bundesliga.

Zac

I simply cannot bear to imagine Bayern winning eleven straight Bundesliga titles. A decade of dominance from the Bavarians needs to be broken, and the top dogs in the league look as strong as ever. Bayer Leverkusen has not lost any top talent, Patrick spoke on Leipzig, and Dortmund, as we know, has only strengthened. This season, it will not be the team that outperforms Bayern but the one there to sneak into the driver's seat when strong sides like Leverkusen, Frankfurt, and of course Gladbach nick points off of the Bavarian title charge. This season, that has to be Borussia Dortmund.

2. Who will finish in the top four and in the bottom three?

Patrick

I think the top four are easy: Bayern, RB Leipzig, Dortmund, and Bayer Leverkusen. These four teams have a lot of quality, played fantastic soccer last season, and only improved in the offseason. Freiburg would be an outside shout, but I just can’t see them making it into the top four this season past the other teams I mentioned. As for relegation candidates, I think Bochum, Hertha Berlin, and Augsburg will be scrapping it out. Not sure who will be in the playoff, but all three of these teams had trouble towards the tail end of last season and haven’t improved. You may have noticed I didn't put Schalke or Bremen on this list. That’s because I think they’ve made good signings so far this off-season and will avoid falling back down to the 2. Bundesliga.

Zac

Dortmund, Leverkusen, Bayern, Frankfurt. Energy Drinks be d-mned. At the bottom, Hertha Berlin will again struggle to stay up, and I expect Bochum to finally join them after an extended stay in the Bundesliga.

3. Who will be Dortmund’s player of the season?

Patrick

Jude Bellingham, next question.

Zac

Nico Schlotterbeck. This season the young German center-back has the opportunity to establish himself as one of the best in Europe and is armed with the knowledge that he cannot do much worse than his predecessors. The expectations are high but the bar is low, and I think Nico will firmly grasp the opportunity to solidify a long-unstable Dortmund defense.

4. Who are you most excited to see play this season?

Patrick

Dortmund’s mustached midfield maestro, Mahmoud Dahoud, is my ‘player to watch’ to the surprise of no one. He played his best football under Terzic during his interim role and should find his form again as Dortmund’s godfather returns. He’ll also be complemented by Dortmund’s new-look midfield as he lines up next to Bellingham and Ozcan. Bellingham will add his usual dynamism while Ozcan can shield the backline. I think Dahoud will get a lot more freedom this year and be able to string some good progressive movements as he did two seasons ago.

Zac

Darting forward Karim Adeyemi is my player to watch this season. Adeyemi turned down some high-profile offers to join BVB and should be raring to lead his dream club to success. Dortmund lacked a mercurial forward last season and the creativity up front suffered for it. Adeyemi’s turn of pace, creativity, and eye for goal should light up the BVB attack.

5. Which of the new signings will be the biggest hit?

Patrick

Staying in my midfield vein, I think Ozcan will be our best signing. He’s gone fairly under the radar following Dortmund’s big money moves with Sule, Schlotterbeck, Haller, and Adeyemi. Ozcan, however, is exactly what the team is looking for. The biggest hole last season was not Dortmund’s center back but rather the lack of a defensively dominant number 6. Ozcan is that guy. He’ll provide a lot more freedom to our midfield as he reigns in attacking threats and will give our defensive line a much-needed reprieve. I’m sure we won’t see him bang a ton of goals and assists, but he’ll easily be one of Dortmund’s biggest contributors.

Zac

Again, I am going to opt for Nico Schlotterbeck, or as I have already come to refer to him, Schlottigott.

6. Which of the new signings will be the most lackluster?

Patrick

I think the safe answer here is Adeyemi. He’s a fantastic player but is making a big jump to a superior league. I’m sure he’ll do fine but I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t live up to the 30 million euro price tag on his head. I know Haaland made a similar jump when he came to Dortmund but he was a lot more dominant in the Austrian Bundesliga than Adeyemi has been.

Zac

I fear this could be Nikas Sule. Sule’s body language against Valencia was not the most reassuring, and he may need time to settle into a new system. I am not yet sold that Sule is a true mentality monster, but then again his interviews leading up to the season have been commanding. Eager to have my apprehensions quelled.

7. Who will be the team’s top goal scorer?

Patrick

With recent developments, this answer became a lot harder to answer. Hopefully, our top goal scorer is Haller because it means he came back healthy and found his form. If Haller’s out longer than expected, I have a feeling Malen will have a big season for us. I heard he has been impressing everyone in training and I expect him to grow into the player we thought he would be.

Zac

Julian Brandt with 17 tap-ins after the 80th minute, primarily substitute appearances.

8. How far will Dortmund go in Europe?

Patrick

This is tough to say, especially not knowing the group we find ourselves in for the Champions League. I hope we make it to the Round of 16 considering Rose got fired for not making it. With the uncertainty around Bayern, I think the Bundesliga is our top priority. If we bomb out of the Group Stage while bringing home the Meisterschale, I’ll be more than content.

Zac

Ditto Pat, let’s get the league before we win the treble.

9. In 9 months from now, how will we look back on this season?

Patrick

I think we’re in for a fun season! Towards the latter half of last year, things dragged on a bit considering we were knocked out of all cups by January. I’m hoping we challenge for trophies and with the talent we have, I’m sure we will at least be entertained. We’re at an odd point for the club because despite being in a massive overhaul, we look like a competitive team. I’m going in with reserved expectations and I’m confident that they’ll be exceeded.

Zac

In nine months, I would like to be dancing in the streets of Dortmund, chasing down a parade bus, and wasting all my hard-earned vacation days. But let’s be realistic. In 9 months, we should at minimum be able to say what we said in 2019; this team of new players under a new coach came together and gave everything a fighting chance. With Edin Terzic at the helm, a sense of determination and charisma should flow back into a team that has at times looked lifeless and lacking direction. I expect to see a step in the right direction this season, as opposed to the side steps we have seen for the past three to four years.

Your Thoughts?

Let us know what you think of our predictions! If you have different answers, what are they? And, most importantly, who’s the smarter writer: me or Zac?