The Bundesliga returns on Friday, with champions Bayern Munich hosting Hoffenheim in the opening match of the 2018-19 season.
Unsurprisingly, Bayern are overwhelming favourites to win the title for a seventh season in a row, despite new coach Niko Kovac being less than two months into the job.
This year, though, there is a notable shadow hanging over some of the star performers at the Allianz Arena: namely, the World Cup.
The trip to Russia proved an unhappy one for their Germany contingent, whose defence of the trophy ended at the group stage, while their foreign internationals did not enjoy themselves much more. Even winner Corentin Tolisso had little by way of a decisive impact on France s triumph, although he did at least return a player brimming with confide…