In the first competitive game of the new year, Bundesliga leaders FC Bayern face a real test on Friday evening (20:30 CET) with a trip to third-placed RB Leipzig. Can the Munich side extend their lead or will the Saxons move closer to the top of the table? Check out the key info about the two teams in our facts and figures:
1. Clear upper hand for Bayern
There have been 15 competitive matches between FC Bayern and RB Leipzig in all competitions. Bayern have emerged victorious ten times, with four draws and just a single win for the Saxons. Since the Red Bulls' 2-1 home win in March 2018, the record champions are unbeaten in ten against Leipzig.
Bayern and Leipzig met in the DFL Supercup earlier this season - FCB won 5-3.
2. Best home team play best away team
With 17 points on the road, FC Bayern are the most feared away team this Bundesliga season. But now a real challenge awaits, as opponents Leipzig are the best home side with 19 points. In addition, the Saxons have won eight home games in a row across all competitions. If this run continues against FC Bayern, the Bulls will equal their club record - set under a certain Julian Nagelsmann in the autumn of 2020.
3. Which winning streak will continue?
For the first time this Bundesliga season, Leipzig have won four games in a row - their longest streak since spring 2021, when Ngagelsmann was sitting in the dugout. We will find out which team can keep up their winning run - as Bayern are countering this with ten competitive wins in a row.
We took a closer look at Bayern's best winning streaks:
4. Battle of the in-form teams
In the ten games since appointing Marco Rose as head coach, RB Leipzig have amassed 23 points. This is the most in the league during this period, and one more than Bayern, although the Munich side have a significantly better goal difference than the Saxons in this time (+12).
5. Bavarian leadership
Will Bayern achieve something new this season? RB Leipzig are the only Bundesliga team not to have fallen behind a single time at home this term. The record champions, on the other hand, have been in the lead for the most time in the league (860 minutes), with only 74 minutes behind – also the best in the league.
6. FCB, the goal factory
In the last competitive game of the year against Schalke (2-0), Jamal Musiala set up both goals and ensured the Munich side continued their winning run.
FCB have already scored 82 goals across all competitions this season! That was the most of any team from Europe's five major leagues in the first half of the 2022/23 season, both in absolute terms and on average (3.4 goals per game). Bayern have also scored at least twice in their last 13 competitive games. The Reds only bettered this run in the 2013/14 season under Pep Guardiola, when they scored at least two goals in 20 games in a row.
7. Top scorer Musiala
In 22 competitive games this season, Jamal Musiala has been directly involved in 21 goals (12 goals, nine assists) - that's already as many goal involvements as during his first 78 competitive games for Bayern. In addition, the 19-year-old has the most goal involvements this Bundesliga season with 15 (nine goals, six assists). Leipzig, on the other hand, have league top scorer Christopher Nkunku in their ranks (twelve goals this season) - but the Frenchman could miss the match on Friday due to injury.
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