Bayern are about to hit the road for the last time in 2021: On the penultimate matchday of the Hinrunde, the men from Munich are away to VfB Stuttgart on Tuesday evening. After five wins on the bounce, Julian Nagelsmann's team will be looking to continue that good trend and clinch the unofficial title of 'autumn champions' with a game to spare. We have the most important facts and stats on the match against Stuttgart for you:
1. Bayern aiming for milestone 'autumn championship'
A point at Stuttgart would ensure FC Bayern would be crowned best team of the Hinrunde with one match to play – and, oddly enough, for the second time this year. Last season, FCB also ended the first half of the season - which actually ran into January - in first place. For the German record champions, another 'autumn championship' would be the 25th in the club's history: In 21 of the 24 cases so far, (88%) the Reds also finished the season right at the top.
2. Record win against VfB last season
Bayern have won 66 of their 104 Bundesliga clashes with VfB Stuttgart (20 draws, 16 defeats). That's more times than any team in Bundesliga history has won against the same opponents. In no less than 17 of the most recent 18 encounters, the Bavarians came off the pitch as winners. Only on Matchday 34 in 2017/18 did Stuttgart win (4-1 at the Allianz Arena), but this was after the Reds had already been crowned champions.
3. Impressive run at Stuttgart
Since drawing 0-0 at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in October 2009, the German record champions have won all nine of their Bundesliga matches at VfB - in the history of Germany's top flight, only Werder Bremen have suffered a longer losing streak against the same opponents (12 matches) at home, also against Bayern, from 2010 to 2021. In addition, FCB have scored more away goals against Stuttgart than against any other team in the league (93). In fact, only one team in Bundesliga history has scored more away goals against the same opponents: Borussia Mönchengladbach against 1. FC Köln (96).
4. Coman on a roll and guaranteed winner
Kingsley Coman is currently flying, and has hit the back of the net four times in his last six Bundesliga games. The Frenchman has never scored as many goals in the first half of a season as he has in this campaign (four), and the 25-year-old is just one goal shy of matching his tally from last season. In his last outing to the Mercedes-Benz Arena almost a year ago (3-1 at the end of November 2020), Coman got on the scoresheet, which helped to ensure he would also win his fifth encounter with Stuttgart.
5. VfB defence also dangerous up front
Stuttgart's internal scorers' list is headed up by the two centre-backs Konstantinos Mavropanos (four) and Marc-Oliver Kempf (three). All in all, Stuttgart's defenders have already scored eight times this season, which is second to none in the Bundesliga. However, having such an attacking flair means the core tasks do tend to get neglected: Stuttgart haven't kept a clean sheet in any of their past twelve Bundesliga home games. VfB have only suffered a longer negative streak at home twice in the Bundesliga, most recently from 2013 to 2014 (15 games, club negative record).
The game at Stuttgart will be Julian Nagelsmann's 200th one as a coach. In his 199th match last Saturday, he celebrated his 100th win:
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