Since the announcement that FM24 will be released on November 6th, my brain has been awash with ideas for new saves on challenges in the latest edition of our beloved game. One of the challenges that came to mind is overthrowing Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga.
A dominant force
As most people know, Bayern Munich have been the dominant force in German football for over a decade. They have had a stranglehold of the Bundesliga, winning the title for the last 11 straight seasons.
Last season, arch-rival Dortmund came agonisingly close to being crowned champions, only to let the title slip away on the final day, with a last-gasp Jamaal Musiala winner against Koln sealing the title for Bayern.
It would be a major challenge to get the better of the Bavarians. However, if you want to manage in the Bundesliga, there are some teams that will be your best bet to overcome the Bavarians. Here are your main options:
Dortmund
BVB are the obvious potential challengers to Bayern’s crown and have been in many seasons in the last decade. They have a squad full of decent quality players but have lacked a killer edge when it has come to getting the title over the line.
The squad contains quality defenders like Niklas Sule, Nico Schlotterbeck, and Mats Hummels. At the other end of the pitch, youngsters like FM favourite Youssoufa Moukoko, Karim Adeyemi, Jamie Bynoe-Gittens and Gio Reyna offer excellent attacking options.
The slightly more experienced Julian Brandt, Sebastian Haller, Nicklas Fullkrug and Donny Malen also offer the team a major attacking threat.
Dortmund could well be a decent long-term save, especially as you, after ending Bayern’s dominance, could then turn your attention to conquering the European game and winning the club’s second Champions League trophy.
Bayer Leverkusen
Die Werkself has been a sensation in the Bundesliga this season, as Xabi Alonso’s team currently sits at the top of the table. Alonso’s management has been one of the main reasons for their lofty position in the table.
However, it is not just the expertise in the dugout that has led Bayer to their position at the top of the table. The biggest reason is the quality of players available in the squad. In fact, they have the foundation of a great team.
Leverkusen already had the likes of Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Edmond Tapsoba and Patrik Schick in their squad last season.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXEvbCYAJGk
In the summer, they made some shrewd signings, including Granit Xhaka, Jonas Hofmann, Alex Grimaldo and maybe most importantly, striker Victor Boniface. The latter has been a scoring machine in the Bundesliga this season, scoring seven goals in as many league outings.
The future looks bright for Leverkusen. However, there is a major issue when managing Bayer in the fact that every season, your star players will be poached by Premier League clubs or even Bayern.
As with other clubs, though, if you can turn Leverkusen into a dominant force in the German top flight, then players will be content to stay with your club, snubbing moves elsewhere.
RB Leipzig
Die Roten Bullen has been one of Bayern’s biggest challengers in recent years after heavy investment from owners Red Bull saw Leipzig become a mainstay in the Bundesliga’s top four.
Leipzig had a good squad of players last season. However, their recruitment in the summer of 2023 was strong, notable by the arrival of Xavi Simons, Benjamin Sesko and Lois Openda. Sesko, of course, in recent FM’s, has been a must-sign.
In real life, striker Openda has been the most potent of Leipzig’s forwards, as the striker has scored four goals in seven Bundesliga appearances. On-loan PSG attacking midfielder Xavi Simons has also shone in the German top flight, scoring three times and producing four assists. Both players could be key players in FM24 if their stats match those of their performances so far this season.
Stuttgart
If you want a massive challenge in the Bundesliga, Stuttgart may be the team for you in the German top flight. Die Roten has made an unbelievable start to their league campaign this season, as they are currently in second place in the table.
Stuttgart’s start to the season is even more remarkable, considering they finished 16th place in the Bundesliga last season, only beating the drop by winning the relegation/promotion play-off.
One of the main factors in Stuttgart’s excellent start to the Bundesliga season has been the record-scoring form of star striker Serhou Guirassy, as the Guinea international has scored an incredible 13 goals in the opening seven league games.
However, Guirassy’s stats seem unlikely to reflect his current red-hot form in front of goal, so getting results with Sebastian Hoeness’ current squad will be more challenging.
Which could you take to dominance over Bayern Munich in FM24?
