Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich went on the biggest shopping spree in the club history after last season's humiliating fourth-place finish. The 2006-7 squad has been completely revamped with the likes of strikers Luca Toni and Miroslav Klose, midfielders Franck Ribery and Hamit Altintop, and defender Marcell Jansen.

Despite splashing out the big bucks, Bayern did not land a classic playmaker or strengthen their central defense. And they may miss much-maligned, but consistently effective striker Roy Makaay, who's gone back to the Netherlands.

Still a series of impressive pre-season results suggests that the team is capable of coming together quickly -- and that the assemblage of individual talent is sufficient to compensate for the squad's weak spots.

Commercial manager Uli Hoeneß, never known for humility, has said, "The rest of the field should need a telescope even to see us."

Some observers say -- or fear -- he may be right.

Coach: Ottmar Hitzfeld

Acquisitions: Miroslav Klose (Werder Bremen), Hamit Altintop (Schalke 04), Jan Schlaudraff (Alemannia Aachen), Ernesto Sosa (Estudiantes de La Plata), Julio dos Santos (Wolfsburg, returns from loan), Marcell Jansen (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Luca Toni (AC Florence), Franck Ribéry (Olympique Marseille), Zé Roberto (FC Santos)

Departures: Claudio Pizarro (Chelsea), Ali Karimi (Qatar Sports Club), Hasan Salihamidzic (Juventus), Owen Hargreaves (Manchester United), Mehmet Scholl (retired), Andreas Görlitz (loaned to Karlsruhe), Roy Makaay (Feyenoord Rotterdam), Roque Santa Cruz (Blackburn Rovers)