Champions League 2014-15 Schedule and Predictions: Why Bayern Munich Could Win It All

By David Salazar Aug 05 2014, 16:56 PM EDT

In 2013-14, Bayern Munich was expected to be the team to repeat its treble feat from 2012-13. The team not only remained a dominant force on the break, but had added a terrific passing game to its arsenal of game plans.

Everything seemed to be going according to plan for the defending champs. The side dominated the group stage with five wins in six games before laying waste to Arsenal in the round of 16. A meeting with Manchester United in the quarterfinals showed that Munich was susceptible. However, the team managed a 4-2 aggregate win and wound up facing Real Madrid in the semis. Many expected the team to run away with the matchup, but instead Los Blancos destroyed Bayern Munich 5-0 over two legs.

The humiliation ended the team's hopes of recapturing the Champions League title.

But that was then. This is now.

In the 2014-15 season, the team will enter with renewed hope and lessons learned. Coach Pep Guardiola has experimented with a balanced 3-4-3 system in the preseason, allowing him more opportunities moving forward, but also defensively.

Personnel is of greater importance. The team possesses a number of stars that just won the World Cup and will be full of the confidence necessary to win another major title. Thomas Mueller was Germany's big star, as were Bastian Schweinsteiger, Phillipp Lahm, Manuel Neuer and Jerome Boateng.

Arjen Robben was arguably the best player in the entire World Cup and his hunger and passion can never be questioned.

The team also added a number of players during the transfer window, which should aid its cause in 2014-15.

The biggest summer acquisition for the club was already made during the last transfer window. That would be Robert Lewandowski, who is easily the top forward in the Bundesliga. The Polish striker is an imposing figure in front of the goal and is good for 20 or more goals per season.

Guardiola also brought in youngsters Juan Bernat and Sebastian Rode, the latter being a 23-year-old who can play a number of positions including defensive midfield and attacking midfielder alike. Guardiola loves players that can adapt to different positions as it gives him versatility in this formations. Rode is a terrific passer who managed to accumulate a passing success rate of 84 percent in 2013-14. Bernat is a 21-year-old defender that can also play forward. He should fit right in with a 3-4-3 formation, which would demand him to run up and down the pitch to attack and defend. The fact that he had an 85 percent passing success rate last season only adds to his value for Guardiola. He scored 24 goals for Borussia Dortmund in 2012-13 before putting up 20 in 2013-14.

Not everything is perfect, of course. The departure of Toni Kroos leaves a hole in the middle of the team's midfield. Kroos was the team's top passer this past season with a success rate of 91.9 percent and an average of 75.5 passes per game. Only Schweinsteiger, Lahm and Boateng averaged more passes for the team last season. Kroos' stability with the ball on his foot proved huge for Germany during the World Cup and it will be interesting to see how Guardiola's Munich adapts without him.

The biggest question for the team, however, will be the condition of Franck Ribery. The Frenchman was nominated for the Ballon d'Or earlier this year, but suffered a dip in form after losing the notable award. He managed 10 goals and 10 assists in 22 games, but he struggled down the stretch. He was particularly absent in Real Madrid's destruction of his club. A nagging injury destroyed his World Cup hopes and his age, 31, indicates that he might be past his prime. Ribery would likely be on the left flank in a 3-4-3, and his partnership with Robben has been legendary. However, if he is not at his best, then the team could truly suffer.

Will Bayern Munich win the Champions League in 2014-15? Let us know in your comments below.