Bayern boast a terrific Bundesliga record against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, as the Reds have yet to lose to the men from the Kraichgau region. In 14 meetings to date, FCB have won ten with four draws. The recent record is even better, as Munich have won six of the last seven encounters. Hoffenheim’s only point in that time came in a 3-3 draw at the Allianz Arena in late March 2014 when Bayern had already been crowned champions.
TOUGH ROAD TRIPS
However, the Bavarians have often had it tough on their trips to face Hoffenheim at the Sinsheim stadium. Three of the seven away fixtures ended in draws and Munich have never scored more than twice, although Philipp Lahm and Co have won their last three games in Sinsheim by narrow 2-0, 2-1 and 1-0 scorelines.
NEAR-INVINCIBLE IN THE AUTUMN
Jupp Heynckes’ Bayern fell 2-1 at home to Leverkusen on 28 October 2012 on Matchday 9 in the 2012/13 campaign – and the Bavarians have not lost in the first half of the season ever since. The defeat to Bayer was followed by eight unbeaten games prior to the midpoint in 2012/13, and 17-game unbeaten streaks through to Christmas in both 2013/14 and 2014/15. Including last week’s opening day victory over Hamburg, Bayern are now undefeated in 43 fixtures in the first half of the campaign (35 wins, eight draws). Under Pep Guardiola, FCB have never lost a league game before the halfway mark of a season (30 wins, five draws).
LEWANDOWSKI V KURANYI
Saturday’s match includes a head-to-head between Robert Lewandowski (92 Bundesliga goals) and TSG’s summer signing Kevin Kuranyi (111), the strikers lying second and third in the ranking of currently active players. The pair are bettered only by Leverkusen’s Stefan Kießling (136). Lewandowski, scorer of 20 goals or more in three of his last four complete Bundesliga campaigns, could catch Kuranyi this term if he maintains his average of 0.56 goals per game.
STIELER APPOINTED REFEREE
Thirty-four year-old lawyer Tobias Stieler will referee Saturday’s clash in Sinsheim. His assistants are Patrick Ittrich and Sascha Thielert, with Mark Borsch as the fourth official. Stieler, who also took charge of Bayern’s most recent trip to face Hoffenheim in April this year, has so far overseen seven Bayern wins in seven matches as ref.
