On Saturday (15:30 CET) FC Bayern play the big game of Matchday 26 at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim. For Julian Nagelsmann, the duel with the Bundesliga's fourth placed side, where he sat in the dugout for a total of 116 Bundesliga games between 2016 and 2019, is a journey into the past - for FC Bayern on the other hand, it is the beginning of a new era. You can read what that means in the facts and figures about the game.
1. Champions League in the legs? You're joking!
Hoffenheim shouldn't rely on tired Bayern legs after the European Cup gala against Salzburg (7-1) during the week: Julian Nagelsmann's team have won all of their last five Bundesliga games after a Champions League game. Six of the seven league fixtures following an international appearance this season have been wins (plus a 2-1 loss to Frankfurt at the beginning of October). The return fixture also took place after a midweek game - at the end of October the Munich team followed up the 4-0 win at Benfica with a 4-0 home win against TSG.
Bayern won the reverse fixture against Hoffenheim 4-0 at the Allianz Arena in October.
2. Bayern's milestone in Sinsheim
What a figure! At TSG, the Munich side will play their 1,934th Bundesliga game, drawing level with current record holders Werder Bremen. This means the record champions will become joint first in terms of contesting the most games in the competition. Since rising to the top German division, FCB have won 1,163, drawn 417 and suffered 353 defeats.
3. Bayern strong against the big teams
First visit fourth! TSG are the only Bundesliga club to record the maximum 12 points from their last four games - but Bayern are very familiar with difficult tasks like this: the Bavarians have won all five away games against teams currently in the top half of the table this season.
Bayern won 4-0 at Köln in their last away game against a team from the top half of the Bundesliga table.
4. Two top games
It's not just coach Nagelsmann's duel with his ex-club that has the distinction of being a top game in the Bundesliga this weekend: Two and a half hours before the game kicks off at the PreZero Arena, FC Bayern Women play TSG 1899 Hoffenheim at the Dietmar Hopp Stadium, less than 15 minutes drive away. From a Munich point of view, the encounter here is similar: the league leaders visit the side in third place.
5. Lewandowski chases away record
With his hat-trick in the first 23 minutes in the 7-1 win against Salzburg, Robert Lewandowski set a new record in the UCL, and now he chases the next record in Sinsheim. The Pole has already scored 16 times away from home this season and he could equal the Bundesliga record with another goal at TSG. It currently stands at 17 goals and is held by both Timo Werner (2019/20) and Jupp Heynckes (1973/74).
More on Lewandowski's strong performance in the Champions League against Salzburg can be found here:
6. Musiala the youngest to reach 50
Jamal Musiala is on the brink of a milestone as he could make his 50th Bundesliga appearance for FC Bayern in Sinsheim - the youngster would be the first player in the club's history to reach this mark at the age of 19. In his 49 appearances in Germany's top division, all for FCB, the starlet has scored nine goals and provided five assists.
7. Bayern dominate the rivalry
The German record champions have won four of the last five meetings with Hoffenheim in all competitions. The only defeat in this period was the 4-1 loss on Matchday 2 of the 2020/21 season, when Sebastian Hoeneß’s team inflicted the only defeat on FCB in 48 games across all competitions in 2020. In the past, Bayern have dominated the rivalry with 18 wins in 27 Bundesliga meetings (five draws, four defeats).
Bayern boosted their self-confidence with the Champions League gala against Salzburg - here are the facts:
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