There are still plenty of games to play in 2024/25 but the usual suspects, and some surprise contenders, are leading the way right now.

bundesliga

Bayern Munich lead the pack in increasingly exciting title race

18.01.2025

As the 2024/25 Bundesliga title race heats up, bundesliga.com runs through the early challengers for what promises to be an exceptional run towards Meisterschale glory.

Bayern Munich
Position: 1st
Points: 51 (20 games)
Goals: 62-19 (+43)

With Bayern top of the pile at Christmas for a 27th time, fans of the record champions will be well aware their side have gone on to win the title from here on 23 out of 26 previous occasions. Under recently appointed coach Vincent Kompany, FCB are running more, conceding fewer chances than ever before and significantly outscoring their Bundesliga rivals.

Yet there are chinks in this generally well-constructed armour and a Matchday 14 loss against in-form Mainz prior to the winter break exposed some of those. The Bavarians were two points down on their total after 15 games as compared to last year but with Jamal Musiala (11 goal involvements) playing out of his skin, Minjae Kim and Dayot Upamecano marshalling a solid defence and Michael Olise and top-scoring Harry Kane in fine form, Bayern will take some beating after the winter break, as rivals Leipzig found out in a 5-1 humbling at the Allianz Arena before Christmas. They've started the new year in the best way possible with five successs out of five secured by a 4-3 win over Kiel on Matchday 20. The record champions look well set to keep their confidence and momentum.

Watch: Bayern Munich 4-3 Holstein Kiel - highlights

Bayer Leverkusen
Position: 2nd
Points: 45 (20 games)
Goals: 49-27 (+22)

That the defending champions are right in the mix again this time around is testament to a team that have shown focus and resilience under coach Xabi Alonso after what some described as a stuttering start to the season.

A Matchday 2 loss against Leipzig in a game Bayer were leading 2-0 summed up a habit Die Werkself picked up of giving away leads early in the campaign. The challenge of losing both main strikers Victor Boniface and Patrik Schick to injury at one stage could even have led to Leverkusen falling further away. Yet Alonso has managed to steady a Bayer ship brilliantly manned by last term's Bundesliga Player of the Season Florian Wirtz (nine goals, eight assists), while the rest of last season's double-winning cast and crew have learned from their early-season errors to come back with renewed vigour in time to take the fight to leaders Bayern.

And they are now closer than ever to catching the record champions. After beating Dortmund 3-2 in the first match back from the winter break, Leverkusen extended their winning run to eight Bundesliga matches (11 in all competitions) with a 1-0 win over in-form Mainz and 3-1 victory at home to Gladbach. A 2-2 draw to RB Leipzig halted this winning streak, although they were quick to bounce back with a 3-1 win over Hoffenheim next. Die Werkself remain unbeaten in 2025.

Watch: Wirtz, Leverkusen's game changer

Eintracht Frankfurt
Position: 3rd
Points: 39 (20 games)
Goals: 45-27 (+18)

Had you offered Eintracht the possibility of gong into the winter break in third place, all concerned would gladly have accepted. And now, having successfully overcome a dip in form prior to the winter break, the sky appears to be the limit for Dino Töppmöller's men.

Buffers were hit with a sequence of no wins and four defeats in five competitive games to close out 2024, but Frankfurt are flying again. Three straight victories over St. Pauli (1-0), Freiburg (4-1) and Borussia Dortmund (2-0) have given them an electrifying start to 2025. An entertaining 2-2 draw at Hoffenheim gave them one point rather than three on Matchday 19, but they're still well in the title race, although another draw at the hands of Wolfsburg (1-1) will be seen as more points dropped.

Hugo Larsson has been Toppmöller's consistent best in midfield while versatile full-back Nathaniel Brown is one of the season's revelations, winning the Bundesliga's Rookie of the Month award in November - and then again in December! Those nine points to kick-start 2025 have helped to iron out December's creases, and Eintracht look capable of beating anyone.

Watch: Watch: Eintracht Frankfurt 1-1 Wolfsburg - highlights

RB Leipzig
Position: 4th
Points: 33 (20 games)
Goals: 34-29 (+5)

Leipzig struggled to find consistency towards the end of the year - and that trend has continued for Marco Rose's side into 2025.

The return of key attacking midfielder Xavi - who scored twice on his first start in the 4-2 victory over Werder Bremen after two months out - has lifted a team that has been largely hanging around the division's top four ever since they were first promoted to the Bundesliga in 2017. Now they're on a run of three consecutive draws - most recently in a 0-0 away at Union Berlin - Leipzig's difficulties with turning one point into three could be a big blow to their dreams of their first Bundesliga title.

Rediscovering the defensive solidity that saw RBL concede just five goals in the opening 10 matchdays will be crucial from now on. Benjamin Šeško's goals - the Slovenian scored in each of his previous five top-tier games - allied with the attacking creativity of Antonio Nusa and Loïs Openda's ability to score and assist (the Belgian has 11 goal involvements in 2024/25) may not be enough to keep the club in title contention.

Leipzig will strengthen with Xavi's return from injury. - IMAGO/Roger Petzsche

VfB Stuttgart
Position: 5th
Points: 32 (20 games)
Goals: 37-30 (+7)

Somewhat the victims of their own success last season, Stuttgart faced a challenging start to a campaign that kicked off without departed giants like Serhou Guirassy and Waldermar Anton, key players in the run to a second-place finish in 2023/24. Added to those losses, UEFA Champions League football - albeit more than welcome - also took a physical toll on a side that found themselves down in 11th spot after Matchday 10.

The Swabians have since adjusted and refound their mojo, however, and a run of six wins in eight games has sent Sebastian Hoeneß's men surging up the standings and back into familiar territory. Forward Nick Woltemade - who has scored five goals and assisted one - grasped his chance when a striker shortage befell the side with Deniz Undav's injury travails. The latter has now returned to offer all concerned a morale boost, and with Chris Führich also performing to his impressive best, Stuttgart are once again a force to be reckoned with.

Consecutive defeats on Matchdays 19 and 20 - first a 2-0 loss away to Mainz, then a 2-1 at home to Gladbach - have halted that positive momentum on Matchday 19, but Sebastian Hoeneß's men are still hot on the heels of those above them.

Watch: VfB turn tables on Leipzig

Mainz
Position: 6th
Points: 31 (20 games)
Goals: 33-24 (+9)

Surely not even the ever-chipper Bo Henriksen would have predicted this? Or maybe he would. The always upbeat Danish coach has full belief in his 05ers ever since he guided them to an unlikely run that led to Bundesliga survival at the tail-end of last term.

What's just as incredible this time around is that Mainz were down in 13th place after nine games, having won only twice in the early part of the season. Now, after six wins in their last eight, Henriksen and Co. find themselves in their best position for over two years, and although a shot at the title might seem fanciful, with star striker Jonathan Burkardt scoring his way to a senior Germany debut - the 24-year-old has netted 12 times in this Bundesliga season so far - Die Nullfünfer are happy to see where this current run takes them.

Burkardt sustained a hamstring injury in the memorable Matchday 14 win against Bayern but that setback was eased with Paul Nebel scoring five goals in his last seven matches, as Mainz continued to delight their fans with a win at third-placed Frankfurt before the year's end. Although they carried that momentum and confidence into 2025, with a Burkardt brace firing them past Bochum on Matchday 16, they came unstuck on Matchday 17, falling 1-0 in a hard-fought clash away to reigning champions Leverkusen. Nelson Weiper and Anthony Caci were the goalscorers as Mainz beat Stuttgart 2-0 on Matchday 19, but they stumbled on Matchday 20 in a 1-0 home defeat to Bremen.

Watch: Jonathan Burkardt can't stop scoring

Wolfsburg
Position: 10th
Points: 29 (20 games)
Goals: 43-35 (+8)

After leading Wolfsburg to a 12th-placed finish in the 2023/24 campaign, his first season in charge, coach Ralph Hasenhüttl has the Wolves knocking on the door of European qualification. The Austrian tactician has implemented his trademark attacking style in Wolfsburg, and his fearless, free-scoring side have notched some big wins this season, notably 5-1 away to his former club Leipzig and 4-3 at home to in-form Mainz.

Although Wolfsburg lost their last two Bundesliga outings before the winter break, they had gone undefeated in six before that (four wins), and they kicked off 2025 with a return to winning ways against Hoffenheim, 1-0 on Matchday 16. Then, the Wolves returned to their best with a 5-1 thumping of Borussia Mönchengladbach, striker Lukas Nmecha notably coming off the bench to bag a brace as Hasenhüttl's side climbed provisionally into the top six. A narrow 3-2 defeat at Bayern Munich on Matchday 18 should not dampen the enthusiasm around the club too much. A 2-2 draw with Holstein Kiel on Matchday 19 means Wolfsburg dropped to 7th, and still within touching distance of those above them, although followed up by a 1-1 draw away at Frankfurt has seen them drop further.