Bayern Munich face a stern test in the form of Hoffenheim as they try and retain their title.
The new Bundesliga season begins this weekend, and the pick of the action is champions Bayern Munich hosting Hoffenheim at the Allianz Arena.
Bayern are entering a new era having replaced Carlo Ancelotti early last season. Jupp Heynckes returned to take them to the end of the season and former Eintracht Frankfurt boss Niko Kovac was the man selected to take over as Ancelotti’s long-term successor.
Hoffenheim, who qualified for the Champions League last season, will have a similar need for a new boss next summer, with 31-year-old Julian Nagelsmann already having agreed to join RB Leipzig at the end of the campaign.
Bayern have already played twice this season, winning the German Super Cup 5-0 against Kovac’s former club, Frankfurt, and also 1-0 in the DFB Pokal against Drochtersen/Assel of Germany’s fourth tier.
Hoffenheim beat Kaiserslautern 6-1 in a rather more comfortable cup match than Bayern endured.
Key battles
With Bayern expected to have the vast majority of possession as they do against every team in the Bundesliga, particularly at home, Hoffenheim will rely heavily on former Leicester City forward Andrej Kramaric for goals and to hold the ball up when they counter attack.
Nagelsmann’s side are known for their counter-attacking play and will have to use that to its fullest if they are to get anything from the game.
Bayern defenders Mats Hummels and Niklas Sule, should the latter be selected in the likely absence of Jerome Boateng, who has been linked with a move to PSG, will have to remain on their guard to watch out for him and the Hoffenheim midfield runners like Leonardo Bittencourt.
Bayern’s attackers are stellar and it will probably be Thomas Muller, Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery supporting lone front man Robert Lewandowski, who Ermin Bicakcic and Kevin Vogt need to contain, with the likes of Kingsley Coman and former Hoffenheim players Serge Gnabry and Sandro Wagner to call upon from the sidelines.
Previous meetings
Last season, Hoffenheim were able to beat Bayern 2-0 at home with Mark Uth, now of Schalke, grabbing a brace.
Away from home, though, it was a completely different story as Bayern won by five goals to two despite Hoffenheim taking a 2-0 lead after just 12 minutes.
In 2016-17, Bayern were held to a 1-1 draw at the Allianz Arena against Hoffenheim, while they lost 1-0 away from home.
For the two seasons prior to that, Bayern emerged victorious both home and away. Wind the clock back all the way to 2012, and Bayern won 7-1, but it will be a much tighter affair this time as it has been in recent seasons.
Recent form suggests that there should be goals for both sides in what should be an interesting opening day game.