Bayern Munich vs TSG Hoffenheim 25/08/18

25 August 2018

The match between Bayer Munich and TSG Hoffenheim will officially open the 2018-2019 Bundesliga campaign, with the current title holders looking to take on the team that managed to qualify for the Champions League group stage for the first time in the history. The Bavarians, who have been dominating the German league for the last six years are hoping to wrap up their seventh consecutive league title, as they still have one of the best squads in Europe despite the lack of signings. Niko Kovac, who took charge of the team earlier in the summer, has already won his first title in the new club after demolishing Eintracht Frankfurt in the German Super Cup by five goals to nil, after which his side secured a comfortable 4-1 win over Hamburger SV in a friendly match that took place last week. On the other hand, Die Kraichgauer, whose only competitive game this season was the one against Kaiserslautern in the DFB Pokal where they have clinched a convincing 6-1 win, will arrive in Munich hopeful they can beat Bayern on the road for the first time in history.

James Rodríguez, Serge Gnabry, and David Alaba are all struggling with injuries and are unlikely to be included in the home squad, while Benjamin Hübner, Kerem Demirbay, Nadiem Amiri, Dennis Geiger, and Lukas Rupp are all sidelined in the visiting team.