NEW champions for the first time in eleven years, the Bundesliga exploded across Europe with a series of shocks and thrillers that rocked the natural order of things and reignited interest the length and breadth of the continent.
Both Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund have new coaches, with Vincent Kompany plundering the Premier League for Fulham’s Joao Palhinha and Palace’s Michael Olise as he tries to restore Bayern Munich as Germany’s premier club, while cult heroes St Pauli and Holstein Kiel return to the big time.
Of course, all eyes will be on Xabi Alonso‘s Leverkusen, who achieved immortality winning their maiden Bundesliga title without losing a game! Throw in a DFB-Pokal cup double, and the fact that their only defeat of an unforgettable season was to Atalanta in the Europa League final, and the underdogs are suddenly there to be shot at. Can they repeat their heroics? Time will tell!
This is where the guys at Opta come in. By scouring their records and using their incredible database of match facts and stats their AI-driven predictive analysis can often determine what could happen on the pitch.
Of course, it’s not an exact science, it’s a funny old game…
Borussia Mönchengladbach vs Bayer 04 Leverkusen
● Borussia Mönchengladbach are winless in their last nine Bundesliga games against Bayer 04 Leverkusen (D2, L7),
● The previous season’s Bundesliga champions have avoided defeat on the opening matchday in each of the last 22 campaigns (W17, D5)
● Mönchengladbach (14) and Leverkusen (13) were the two teams that scored the most goals from corner-kicks in the Bundesliga last season. The Foals’ tally of 14 goals in this manner was a Bundesliga record for a single campaign
RB Leipzig vs VfL Bochum
● RB Leipzig have won nine of their 11 competitive meetings with VfL Bochum in professional football (D1, L1)
● VfL Bochum are winless on the opening matchday in each of their last nine Bundesliga seasons (D3, L6)
● VfL Bochum conceded 45 away goals in the Bundesliga last season, a joint negative club record (also in 1983/84). RB Leipzig, meanwhile, have only ever scored more goals at home in 2021/22 (43) than last season (40).
VfL Wolfsburg vs FC Bayern Munchen
● FC Bayern are unbeaten in 18 Bundesliga games against the Wolves since a 4-1 defeat in Wolfsburg in January 2015 (W16, D2).
● Since a 0-0 draw in May 2008, FC Bayern have scored in each of their last 32 Bundesliga games against VfL Wolfsburg (90 goals in total). It’s the longest scoring run against any particular side in Bayern’s Bundesliga history.
● VfL Wolfsburg are unbeaten on the opening matchday in each of the last six seasons
● No team has conceded more goals on the road in 2024 than FC Bayern (23). Overall, Bayern let in 45 goals in the Bundesliga in 2023/24, their worst defensive record for 28 years (conceded 46 goals in 1995/96).
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