First against second - there's no bigger of more exciting fixture! On Saturday, league leaders FC Bayern host their closest rivals Borussia Mönchengladbach. It's precisely these top-of-the-table clashes that favour the record champions more than almost any other team in the Bundesliga. The men from Munich haven't lost to the second-placed team in the league since a 4-1 defeat at VfL Wolfsburg at the end of January 2015. Since then, Bayern have won 11 of the 14 encounters, with the points being shared three times. fcbayern.com has picked out five special games from this run.
The opener
The current run of top matches began with a real statement of intent: On Matchday 8 of the 2015/16 season, an unbeaten FC Bayern (21 points) hosted Borussia Dortmund (17), who were also still undefeated. After an evenly-matched opening period, a brace from Thomas Müller (26'/35' pen.) put the home side on the road to victory. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's 36th-minute reply was followed after the break by two goals from Robert Lewandowski (46'/58') and another from Mario Götze (66').
The pursuit
On the penultimate matchday of the 2016/17 campaign, FC Bayern travelled as newly-crowned champions to Leipzig, who would finish as runners-up in their first season following promotion. Despite goals from Lewandowski (17', pen.) and Arturo Vidal (61'), the newcomers led 4-2 until the closing stages - but then Bayern demonstrated just who reigned supreme in the Bundesliga. Lewandowski with a second (84'), David Alaba (90+1') and Arjen Robben (90+5') with a fantastic solo effort turned the game in favour of the Reds in that frenetic final phase. A true masterclass!
The initial spark
A draw in the standout fixture is not necessarily what the neutral football fan wants, but in retrospect it was worth its weight in gold for Bayern. Just a week before the top-of-the-table clash against RB Leipzig at the beginning of February 2020, FCB had regained the lead in the table from the first-time Herbstmeister'(so-called autumn champions, league leaders at the winter break) from Saxony - and were now able to defend it with the draw at the Allianz Arena. In addition, the match was something like an initial spark: Since the 0-0 against Leipzig, the men from Munich have scored at least one goal in every Bundesliga match. The run currently stretches to 84 games - long since a Bundesliga record!
The demonstration of power
Ahead of the clash with second-placed Bayer 04 Leverkusen on Matchday 8 of the 2021/22 season, the only thing separating leaders Bayern from the Werkself, who were level on points, was their goal difference (+4). But within a very short time, the Munich side revealed just how big the differences between the two rivals really were on that day: The visitors started in furious fashion and were already 5-0 up at the break thanks to goals from Lewandowski (3'/30'), Müller (34') and Serge Gnabry (35'/37'). Leverkusen's only consolation was a goal after half-time from Patrik Schick (55').
The crowning glory
It was Bayern's crowning glory of last season! On Matchday 31, FCB were able to clinch the title ahead of schedule in a clash with second-placed Borussia Dortmund, of all teams. And Julian Nagelsmann's side didn't let the chance slip away in front of their home crowd: After goals from Gnabry (15'), Lewandowski (34') and Jamal Musiala (83'), the championship celebrations could begin - even Dortmund pulling one back through an Emre Can penalty to make it 2-1 on 52 minutes could do nothing to change that.
Check out our gallery to see all the games of the run:
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