Bundesliga opener for FC Bayern Women! On Friday 15 September, head coach Alexander Straus takes his team to SC Freiburg on Matchday 1 of the Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga. Kick-off at the Dreisamstadion is at 18:15 CEST.
The state of play
After a rigorous pre-season with four friendlies, which Bayern Women came through with three wins and a draw, the Munich girls played their first competitive fixture last Sunday, winning 2-0 at SG Andernach in the second round of the DFB Cup. Now the German champions begin their Bundesliga title defence.
The opponents
Freiburg finished sixth in the Bundesliga last season on 24 points. The Black Forest side played six friendlies in pre-season, beating FC Luzern (5-0), Young Boys (4-1), GC Zürich (4-1) and TSG Hoffenheim (3-2) and playing out a goalless draw against Servette FC. Their only defeat was a 3-1 loss to league rivals Eintracht Frankfurt.
Theresa Merk's team were also in action in the cup last weekend. In the derby against second-tier SC Sand, they won 2-1 to progress to the last 16.
The team news
Aside from long-term absentees Carolin Simon (cruciate ligament), Weronika Zawistowska (cruciate ligament) and Cecilía Rán Rúnarsdóttir (knee), Straus has a full squad at his disposal for the Bundesliga opener. Sarah Zadrazil is fit again after missing the cup tie against Andernach with a knock.
'Build on our concept'
Alexander Straus: "We look at what made us so successful last season and want to build on our concept. We improved over the course of last season and we want to continue that and keep improving. Our focus is on the path and not where the path will lead."
Sarah Zadrazil: "We're all looking forward to it starting again. We have enormous quality in the squad and now we just need to bring that onto the pitch. I think that a lot is possible if we just pick up where we left off at the end of last season."
Matchdays 3 to 6 have been scheduled:
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