Mats Hummels has revealed that he considers RB Leipzig, and not former club Borussia Dortmund, as the side most likely to trouble Bayern Munich this season.
Hummels spent seven years at the Westfalonstadion before he returned to Munich in the summer, but the defender told Sport Bild that Thomas Tuchel's men were not the team he feared most as the German giants look to defend their domination of Germany's top flight.
Instead, Hummels stated that he regarded RB Leipzig as the team that had the best chance of causing Bayern problems, despite the club only reaching the Bundesliga for the first time last term.
The centre-half said: "RB Leipzig have a squad that could cause us trouble. I definitely expect Leipzig to make the top six at the end of the season."
Hummels' club and international team-mate, Thomas Muller, concurred with the 27-year-old's assessment and, while he stated that Leipzig should be taken as seriously as all the other clubs that the Bavarian outfit will have to face in 2016/17, the forward believed that Dortmund are his side's main challengers once more.
Muller said: "Of course Leipzig should be taken seriously. The quality and breadth of their squad is crucial.
"I look still at Dortmund. In the end, they will be our biggest opponents again."
Leipzig were only founded in 2009 by energy drink giants Red Bull, who rebranded the club from SSV Markranstädt, but have quickly advanced up the footballing pyramid after being bankrolled by their wealthy owners.
The club currently lie second in the league standings with 18 points from their opening eight matches, and remain the only other unbeaten side in Germany's top flight alongside Bayern and Hoffenheim.
RB Leipzig are only the 2nd promoted team in #Bundesliga history to remain unbeaten after the first 8 matchdays. (Duisburg did it in 93/94) pic.twitter.com/gsT9MhEWKD
Leipzig currently boast stars like Oliver Burke, Benno Schmitz, Nabi Keita and Timo Werner among their ranks, and have seen attendances at the Red Bull Arena soar since their inception.
However, the club has come in for criticism from other sides' football fans and the media for paying their way to the top, with accusations such as disregarding Germany's '50+1' ruling that stipulates that fans and members of a club hold the controlling stake.
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