When the German record champions travel to second-bottom club Mainz 05 on Saturday evening (18:30 CEST), it would appear to be a clear-cut affair on paper. But the truth is that without the outfit from the Rhineland, this situation would not even have been possible. After all, it was Bo Svensson's team that made Bayern's last-gasp title win at Köln possible with a 2-2 draw at Dortmund on the final matchday of last season. fcbayern.com has compiled a list of all the other key statistics relating to the match.
FCB with clear lead and Svensson's run
They know each other: Mainz coach Svensson once played for the Zerofivers and made all 90 of his Bundesliga appearances under then FSV coach Thomas Tuchel. The only clash between the two coaches so far was won by the Dane last April, and it also marked his third Bundesliga home win against Bayern in the dugout. Now, however, Tuchel is aiming to set the record straight, as Bayern have a clear lead in the head-to-head comparison, having won 24 of the 34 encounters in this competition so far (three draws, seven wins for Mainz).
FCB looking to make the most of Mainz's winless streak
No other Bundesliga team has been waiting as long for a win as Mainz 05, who last picked up three points twelve games or almost six months ago. The opponents back then? Not that important! Much more crucial from Bayern's point of view: Only in 2020/21 had the Rhinelanders picked up fewer points after seven games (1) than they currently have (2) and thay're languishing one place off the bottom of the table. And the German record champions haven't lost a Bundesliga match against teams in a relegation spot for more than 15 years (42 wins, eight draws).
Clash of opposites
With 23 goals after seven matchdays, Bayern have the best attack in the league alongside Bayer 04 Leverkusen. And the FCB defence has also been running smoothly so far: The record champions have kept a clean sheet three times this season, the last time they achieved this feat after seven matchdays was in the 2017/18 campaign. Mainz, on the other hand, have the weakest defence in the league, along with VfL Bochum and newly-promoted Darmstadt 98. The three teams have already conceded 19 times each.
FCB (almost) unbeatable so far
The German record champions are undefeated in ten matches, having only lost the DFL Supercup clash against RB Leipzig (3-0) at the start of the season. This is also the first time in seven years that Bayern have remained undefeated in the first seven games of a Bundesliga season (five wins, two draws). Back then, under Carlo Ancelotti, it took until Matchday 11 for the Reds to suffer their first defeat (1-0 at Dortmund).
Will Sané extend his scoring run?
Leroy Sané has been in sizzling form during the first seven matchdays. The Germany international has already racked up six goals so far this season, the most ever scored by the Munich winger in a Hinrunde. At home against SC Freiburg (3-0), the 27-year-old scored for the third league match in a row, setting a new personal best in the process. The chances of extending that record are not bad ahead of the match in Mainz: No player has scored more often away from home in the current season than Sané (four times). In addition, the winger has been directly involved in at least one goal in each of his last five matches in this competition (five goals, one assist).
You named Sané as your Player of the Month for September - the second month in a row!:
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