German football great Lothar Matthaeus believes RB Leipzig will again be the biggest threat to Bayern Munich in this season’s Bundesliga and also boast a better squad than the champions.
Bayern Munich kick off the new season at Borussia Moenchengladbach on Friday having taken RB Leipzig’s coach Julian Nagelsmann to Munich.
“Bayern Munich have the best first 11. RB Leipzig have the best squad,” the 60-year-old said on Wednesday.
“RB Leipzig will be able to “react best in crisis phases —- in cases of injuries, suspensions, game overload —- in my opinion.
“That doesn’t mean that the best squad becomes champions, but Bayern Munich must hope that they are spared certain complications.”
RB Leipzig’s new coach Jesse Marsch has lost defenders Ibrahima Konate to Liverpool and Dayot Upamecano to Bayern Munich but has gained striker Andre Silva from Eintracht Frankfurt.
Bayern Munich are going for a 10th title in a row.
But new coach Nagelsmann will be heavily relying on the fitness of almost 33-year-old Robert Lewandowski, who scored a record 41 goals last term.
Matthaeus said he also “definitely” sees Borussia Dortmund as well as Bayer Leverkusen, Wolfsburg and Gladbach as being “better positioned” than Bayern Munich squad-wise.
“I expect it to be a sharp three-way fight at the top. If I had to commit myself, I’d say RB Leipzig will be even more dangerous for Bayern Munich than Borussia Dortmund.”(dpa/NAN)
