After a perfect start to the new Bundesliga season with wins over Werder Bremen (4-0) and FC Augsburg (3-1), there's a real classic in store for the men from Munich on Saturday evening (18:30 CEST) with a clash at Borussia Mönchengladbach. Check out our facts and stats on the game to find out what factors suggest Bayern will pick up their next three points against the Foals, as well as which rmilestones head coach Thomas Tuchel and new signing Harry Kane will be aiming for.
1. Fixture with a rich history
Bayern and Borussia Mönchengladbach will face each other for the 111th time in the Bundesliga on Saturday evening. Only the fixture between the German record champions and Werder Bremen (113 clashes) has taken place more often in the German top flight. The men from Munich have their noses in front in the head-to-head comparison. The Bavarians have been victorious 51 times, while the team from the Rhine have come out on top on 28 occasions. The other 31 games ended in a draw. Despite the positive balance, caution is advised, as Gladbach have celebrated more wins against the Reds than any other side in the Bundesliga's 60-year history.
2. Defensively strong Bavarians against vulnerable Foals
On the first two matchdays, Borussia Mönchengladbach had to deal with 44 shots on goal, a figure surpassed only by Werder Bremen (48). In addition, the Foals, together with FC Augsburg, have conceded the most goals to date (7). The Munich side, on the other hand, have allowed just 16 shots on goal so far, which is the best figure in the league. Thomas Tuchel's team have also taken the most shots on goal so far (44).
3. Bayern are top match experts
Although the German record champions lost their most recent Saturday evening match (a 3-1 defeat to RB Leipzig last season), the Munich side were unbeaten in the previous 27 matchdays' standout fixtures (22 wins, 5 draws). Borussia, on the other hand, have won just one of their last ten Bundesliga games on a Saturday evening. In the remaining nine matches, the Foals picked up just four points (4 draws, 5 defeats).
4. Kane chasing a record
New signing Harry Kane has already impressively demonstrated his scoring qualities in his first two Bundesliga appearances. Thanks to his three Bundesliga goals so far, he's only the third player in the history of the record champions to score three times in his first two Bundesliga matches for FCB. Only Gustav Jung (1967) and Adolfo Valencia (1993) achieved this feat previously. If the Englishman scores again on Saturday evening, he'll also become only the fourth player to score in his first three Bundesliga appearances for the record champions. Alongside Mario Mandžukić (2012) and Luca Toni (2007), Ruggiero Rizzitelli also lost no time in demonstrating his goal-scoring prowess in 1996.
5. Tuchel heading for a milestone
Saturday evening's game will be Thomas Tuchel's 250th Bundesliga outing as a coach. The Krumbach native has so far notched up 115 wins, while the 50-year-old has lost 73 times. A further 61 draws complete the Bayern boss's tally. In addition to this milestone, Tuchel could set another record this weekend: After a run of three consecutive wins (including last season), he's aiming to win four Bundesliga clashes on the trot with Bayern for the first time. The chances of that happening are not bad - he's won his previous four encounters in the Bundesliga against the Foals (all with Borussia Dortmund).
Check out some of Bayern's legendary clashes with Borussia Mönchengladbach:
Topics of this article