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2015-16 Bundesliga Preview
The 2015-2016 Bundesliga kicks off this weekend and on this listening practice report we take a look at the favourites and some of the teams that may find it hard to stay up.
Favourites
In truth there really is only one favourite for the Bundesliga title: the current holders Bayern Munich who will be hoping to win their fourth consecutive title. They have lost club legend Bastian Schweinsteiger to Man United but have replaced him with Chilean star Arturo Vidal. Extra pace has been brought into the side with Douglas Costa coming from ShakhtarA and with regular starters Lewandowski, Alonso, Müller, Neuer, Lahm and Robben in their squad they really look untouchable.
Last season VfL Wolfsburg finished ten points behind Bayern in second place and won the German Cup so they should be seen as Bayern’s nearest challengers. However, their best player, last season’s Bundesliga player of the year, Kevin De Bruyne, could be on his way out of the club and other sides have strengthened meaning that ‘The Wolves‘ could struggle to make the top four this time around.
Two sides that will challenge this season are Borussia Dortmund and Borussia Mönchengladbach with the former having a new man in charge, Thomas Tuchel, after the resignation of Jurgen Klopp. They have managed to keep most of their star players and will be hoping to improve on their 7th place finish last year. Gladbach finished 3rd last season and Bayer Leverkusen 4th and both will be hoping to improve on those positions this time round. Last year Augsburg surprised many with their 5th place finish but they may find it hard to repeat that performance, especially as they will play in the Europa League.
Strugglers
Hamburg are the only side to have managed to play in each of the previous 52 seasons in the Bundesliga but that record is in danger as they have only just escaped the drop in the past two seasons. They will struggle again this season which seems strange for a side with such a strong tradition.
FC Ingolstadt will play their first ever season in the German top flight and despite being champions of the second division last season and receiving massive sponsorship from the Audi car firm, the Bavarian side will struggle. Newly-promoted SV Darmstadt will also find it tough to survive – only two years ago they were in the third tier of German football, while it could be difficult seasons ahead for Hertha Berlin and even Stuttgart.
These are our predictions, how about yours? Let us know by posting below!
Vocabulary
fourth consecutive title: They have won four titles on the trot/in a row
club legend: Someone who has played a lot of games and is well respected at the club
Extra pace: More speed
untouchable: Not much chance of any other side winning
on his way out of the club: Could be leaving on a transfer
The Wolves: Nickname of Wolfsburg
the former: The one before (Dortmund)
escaped the drop: Avoid relegation
top flight: The top division
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