Top 5 players to watch in the 2021-22 Bundesliga season
The Bundesliga has been a one-horse race for a while, with Bayern Munich dominating in the last decade.
But there are several other aspects of the league that more than make up for rather dull title races. The race for the Champions League spots is always exciting in the German top flight, and the battle for survival is equally nail-biting.
There have been several managerial changes this summer, so expect even more drama, especially at the end of the season. The Bundesliga has a good mix of young and experienced players. So without further ado, let’s take a look at five such players to watch out for this season:
#5 Stevan Jovetic (Hertha Berlin)
Stevan Jovetic moved to Hertha Berlin earlier in the summer on a free transfer after his contract with Monaco expired. The Montenegrin’s career nosedived after his spell at Manchester City. So even a move to an arguably less competitive league - Ligue 1 - didn’t pan out too well for him.
The Bundesliga, however, could suit Jovetic. Although it’s a lot quicker than Serie A, where Jovetic had the most successful spell of his career, the forward’s strengths could help Hertha Berlin and manager Pal Dardai this season.
Hertha had a disappointing 2020-21 Bundesliga campaign, as they barely avoided the drop. The capital club are expected to give Jovetic more playing time, and he should benefit from playing a bigger role for the Bundesliga team than he did for Monaco.
Jovetic was in impressive form during preseason, and is definitely one of the players to watch out for in the Bundesliga this season.
#4 Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich)
Dayot Upamecano is Bayern Munich’s most expensive acquisition this summer, with the Frenchman seen as a replacement for David Alaba.
Last season, the 22-year-old formed a solid partnership with the likes of Willi Orban and Ibrahima Konate at RB Leipzig, with the latter too also moving on from the Bundesliga club.
Both Konate and Upamecano are defenders with impressive potential, and the latter is expected to hit the ground running at Bayern Munich.
Upamecano is not only a towering presence at the back, but his ability to play the ball out from the back also makes him stand out among his peers. The important thing is that Upamecano will continue to play under Julian Nagelsmann, who has arrived from Leipzig as Bayern's new manager.