FC Bayern against Borussia Mönchengladbach: a true Bundesliga classic. The two sides have crossed swords in 103 Bundesliga matches so far, Bayern winning 49 and losing 25, with 29 games ending in a draw. They will face off again on Saturday at 18.30 CEST. Here are some facts and stats to help you get ready for the clash.
1. Alaba set to reach milestone
David Alaba has made 263 Bundesliga appearances so far, just one short of a best-mark. He would equal the record of the Austrian player with the most Bundesliga appearances, held by former Bremen and Bayern pro Andreas Herzog.
2. Bayern might equal record
FC Bayern have won all of their last nine Bundesliga matches, one short of their run of ten victories on the bounce under Jupp Heynckes in 2017/18.
3. Record for Flick
Hansi Flick has surpassed Heynckes in one respect: the 55-year-old boasts 2.60 points per game so far this season, the most of all head coaches in Bundesliga history. Treble-winning coach Heynckes achieved 2.59 points per match in his last season at Bayern. The Bavarians have won 17 of their first 20 league matches under Flick, losing two and drawing one. Only Pep Guardiola, who won 18 of his first 20 Bundesliga matches, boasts more victories.
4. Three goals per game
FC Bayern have scored 90 goals in 30 matches, setting a new Bundesliga record. They have scored an average of three per match. Bayern have "only" scored 88 goals in the entire 2018/19 campaign. FC Bayern set the Bundesliga record in 1971/72, when they netted on 101 occasions in 34 matches.
Bayern's attack is prolific, and not only in the league:
5. Another record beckons
FCB scored at least four goals for the 12th time this campaign when they beat Leverkusen. Only VfB Stuttgart achieved the same number in 1996/97. Bayern boast the Bundesliga best-mark of 13 matches with at least four goals, set under Udo Lattek in the 1973/74 season.
6. Top form on Saturday evenings
FC Bayern have won all of their last three top matches on Saturday evenings (at home to Schalke, Frankfurt and Düsseldorf), scoring five goals each time. No other side boasts more than four goals on consecutive Saturday evening fixtures. And no other side has achieved it if only home matches are taken into account.
7. Unwanted premiere for Müller
FC Bayern will be wearing their new home jerseys for the first time in the league on Saturday. Unfortunately, they will be without Thomas Müller, who serves a one-match ban.
Thomas Müller has made far more than 300 Bundesliga appearances, but Saturday will be a first of him. The native Bavarian will serve a ban for the first time in the Bundesliga. Müller, who has set up 20 goals so far this campaign, saw his fifth yellow card last Saturday, as did Robert Lewandowski, who boasts 30 goals. Flick will be without two crucial attackers. Gladbach too will have to make do without their top scorer. Alassane Pléa, who has scored ten and set up another ten goals so far, was sent off for a second bookable offence away to Freiburg.
8. Beware of Borussia
Mönchengladbach beat Bayern 2-1 on Matchday 14, Munich's last Bundesliga defeat. FCB have lost three of their last five Bundesliga duels with Borussia, more than against any other team in the last three campaigns. However, Mönchengladbach have only won one of their last four Bundesliga matches, a 4-1 victory over Union Berlin. The Rhineland outfit have lost two of those games, as many as in the 11 league matches beforehand.
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