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Bayern kick off the new Bundesliga season in Friday’s official opening game against RB Leipzig at the Allianz Arena not just buoyed by their impressive display in beating VfB Stuttgart 2-1 to lift the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup last weekend. The stats also show that the Bavarians tend to race out of the blocks, going unbeaten on Matchday 1 in each of the last 13 seasons (W11, D2). Vincent Kompany and his men will want to continue that proud record against Leipzig and get their title defence off to a winning start.
A familiar setting
Bayern last contested the official opening match two years ago, with Harry Kane scoring his first goal for the club in a 4-0 win at Werder Bremen. | © Getty
No team has featured in or won the Bundesliga’s official opening match as often as Bayern since the game was introduced in 2002. FCB have played in 16 of the 23 editions so far, winning an impressive 13 of them alongside three draws and no defeats.
Kimmich knows Leipzig
Bayern’s overall record against Leipzig also bodes well for Friday night. They have won 12 out of 22 competitive meetings with Die Roten Bullen, losing just three (D7). The Bavarians also boast someone in their ranks who knows the opposition better than most. Joshua Kimmich spent two years at the Red Bull Arena between 2013 and 2015 and has featured in 21 of Bayern’s 22 encounters with the Saxony side, which is more than anyone else in this fixture.
It’s also a match-up that tends to produce plenty of excitement on the pitch. Last season Bayern ran out 5-1 winners at the Allianz Arena thanks to a scintillating pre-Christmas display. The return fixture was another classic, FCB having to come from 2-0 down to lead, only for Leipzig to hit an equaliser in added time. There was also the memorable 5-4 win in Leipzig in 2016/17 with two late Bayern goals, or the 5-3 victory in the 2022 Supercup.
Neuer into 20th season
Should Manuel Neuer feature on Friday night, he’ll have played in 20 seasons of the Bundesliga. Only three other players have enjoyed such longevity in the German top flight, namely Klaus Fichtel (22 seasons), Claudio Pizarro and Oliver Kahn (both 20).
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