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#3 The Robert Lewandowski factor
Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski is arguably the best striker in world football at the moment.
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The Polish marksman made a blistering start to his Bundesliga campaign last season, and became the first player to score in each of the first 12 games of the season. In fact, such was Lewandowski's scoring pace at the mid-season mark that it looked plausible that he could smash Gerd Muller's long-standing record of 40 goals in a Bundesliga season.
Although that was not to be as a long season had its expected toll, the prolific striker became the all-time non-German goal-scorer in the Bundesliga.
This tally included 34 goals in the German top-flight in the season - a record haul by a non-German player. In the process, Lewandowski collected his fifth Torjägerkanone.
Lewandowski never gets tired of scoring, and when he does find the back of the net, Bayern Munich invariably win matches and championships. Bundesliga defences have been suitably warned.
#4 Dominating record over principal title rivals
Like in most other seasons, Borrusia Dortmund could pose the biggest challenge to Bayern Munich's hopes of winning a ninth consecutive Meisterschale. Other teams who would look to upset the apple-cart of the record Bundesliga champions are Leipzig, Borussia Monchengladbach, Bayer Leverkusen and Hoffenheim.
Not surprisingly, though, Bayern Munich have an overwhelmingly positive head-to-head record against each of the quintet.
The Bavarian giants completed the double over their Klassiker rivals last season, winning 4-0 at home and 1-0 away, and have lost only thrice in 16 games during their 8-season Bundesliga winning run. Leipzig, who finished third last season, have only one win in eight Bundesliga games against the Bavarian giants.
Monchengladbach and Leverkusen, who were two of four teams to beat Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga last season, have beaten the record winners four times during the last eight seasons but have lost eight and nine times respectively.
Hoffenheim and Frankfurt, the two other teams to take all three points of Bayern Munich last season, are respectively 3-11 and 1-12 against Bayern Munich since 2012-13.
Considering Bayern Munich's dominating record against their principal title rivals and the manner of their recent wins against them, the Bavarian giants would probably need a meltdown of epic proportions to be denied another Bundesliga title this season.
#5 Arrival of Leroy Sane at Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich have acquired the services of the 24-year-old Leroy Sane, who returns to his country of birth after a successful four-season stint at Premier League giants Manchester City.
Explaining the decision to sign Sane, former player and present Bayern Munich board member Oliver Kahn said:
“We’re all delighted we’ve been able to secure Leroy’s signature for FC Bayern Munich. His qualities as a player are undisputed. His speed, his technical quality and his scoring threat make him an absolute top player. He also fits very well into our team as a person and as a character. Our goal is to have a spine on the pitch from the goalkeeper to the forwards, and Leroy is an important component in this. With this signing, we have taken another big step towards remaining at the forefront in Europe.”
Sane, who scored 39 goals during his four years at City and won two Premier League titles, is undoubtedly a fabulous addition to a Bayern Munich squad brimming with quality in every position.
The youngster missed large swathes of last season due to an injury and would be eager to hit the ground running as he is expected to make his Bundesliga debut in Bayern Munich's first game of the new season.
Sane, who could line up on the left side of Flick's three-man midfield, with Serge Gnabry occupying the other side of the pitch, would lend a cutting edge to the Bayern Munich attack and take the pressure off target man Robert Lewandowski.
In other words, Sane's arrival in Bavaria does not augur well for the hopes of Bayern Munich's Bundesliga rivals.
