It has traditionally been a clash between two giants of German football and a match which excites everybody: FC Schalke 04 host record champions FC Bayern München today (20:30 CEST) at the Veltins-Arena in their first home game of the season on matchday 2 of the Bundesliga. While the away side opened their season with a 6-0 thrashing over Werder Bremen, the mood at Schalke was left dampened after a 1-0 away defeat at Eintracht Frankfurt. Can Bayern keep up the momentum from their first game or will Schalke get their first win at home of the season? DFB.de looks at the facts behind the 106 meetings between these two old rivals.
Start of the season: Bayern have started the new season as they finished the last one - with a win. The record German champions beat Werder Bremen 6-0 and kicked off their season with a bang. Despite the changes at the club over the summer, with Carlo Ancelotti standing on the sideline as the Bundesliga’s latest managerial newcomer, it appears that the team’s hunger for success and desire to win is just as strong. At Schalke the mood is rather more subdued. Coach Markus Weinzierl’s debut did not go according to plan; the Royal Blues were beaten on the first day of the season at Eintracht Frankfurt, a team who only just avoided relegation last season. Just as unrest immediately entered the Schalke camp, they now come up against the seemingly superior Bayern München.
Direct comparison: It is one of the traditional duels in the Bundesliga. Both teams have faced each other 92 times, 47 of which have been won by Bayern with 18 going Schalke’s way. The remaining 27 matches between the two sides ended in a stalemate. Bayern have not drawn more games at any club other than at Schalke (19 times). In addition Bayern have scored twice as many goals, hitting the back of the net 193 times. Schalke have so far managed 101 goals against FC Bayern. The Royal Blues failed to pick up any points against Bayern last season and conceded more goals against them than any other team. The two teams have also met ten times in the DFB Cup, once in the Supercup and twice in the League Cup.
Guaranteed goals: Just one fixture between the two teams has ended goalless (19th March 1977). Bayern last lost away at Schalke in December 2010 in a match that ended 2-0 to the home side. Schalke have picked up just one point in their last five home matches against Bayern München. S04 did however celebrated their highest ever Bundesliga win in Munich in a 7-0 thrashing on 9th October 1976, while Schalke beat Bayern almost as emphatically 5-1 on 26th January 2002 in a shock victory. That was their highest ever home win against the team from Munich, with that defeat leaving FCB winless in seven Bundesliga games. Bayern had been very shrewd in the transfer market prior to the first meeting between the two sides in the 2014/15 season, bringing in Xabi Alonso and Robert Lewandowski, with the former starting the match against Schalke and the latter impressing as he scored his first goal for FCB.
Classic fixture: In a match between the two sides filled with goals (8th September 1773), S04 led 3-0 and then 5-2 by half time. However Bayern launched a comeback in the second half and managed to claw it back to 5-5. That game was also the highest scoring draw in the history of the Bundesliga.
Schalke mix things up: Schalke were busy in the transfer market again after their unsuccessful start to the season. They signed Jewgeni Konoplyanka as a replacement for Germany international Leroy Sané. The club signed the Ukrainian on a one-year loan deal from Europa League winners FC Sevilla. The player should bring some pace to the team on the wing and becomes one of many new additions to the Schalke side. Abdul Rahman Baba (on loan from Chelsea) and former Wolfsburg player Naldo should bring stability to the defence, however, it is still questionable whether the Brazilian will feature against FC Bayern because of back problems. Nabil Bentaleb (on loan from Tottenham) and Benjamin Stambouli (on loan from PSG) should strengthen the midfield for this season. Markus Wienzierl will have to do without striker Franco Di Santo against FC Bayern München as the player is out with a muscle injury.
Sanches set to make his debut: Some of Bayern’s key players are making their way back from injury. Wingers Arjen Robben (adductor injury) and Kingsley Coman (ankle injury) as well as Germany international Jérôme Boateng (torn muscle) are all making good progress. All three players started training again with the ball this week. Head coach Carlo Ancelotti can look forward to seeing more players in training soon. Holger Badstuber has resumed fitness training outside. Douglas Costa is on his way to making his comeback and Renato Sanches is set to make his Bundesliga debut. Head coach Ancelotti called the 19-year old a “phenomenon.”
Neuer returns from international duty: Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer returns to FC Bayern München after captaining Germany for the first ever time. The World Cup winner played 156 Bundesliga matches for Schalke until he moved to FC Bayern München in 2011. The goalkeeper has only ever let in four goals against his former club and has never lost.
Quotes from the managers: “FC Bayern are of course the measure of all things, they have no weaknesses. It will be a very, very difficult match, but we will try our best. I have the entire squad available for the match,” said Schalke head coach Markus Weinzierl. Bayern manager Carlo Ancelotti beat Schalke 6-1 two and a half years ago with Real Madrid. He said, “Schalke have a lot of new players and a new manager. They will be very motivated to win the match.
Matchday 2
Friday, 20:30 CEST
FC Schalke 04 vs. Bayern München
Saturday, 15:30 CEST
Bayer Leverkusen vs. Hamburger SV
VfL Wolfsburg vs. 1. FC Köln
FC Ingolstadt vs. Hertha BSC
SV Darmstadt 98 vs. Eintracht Frankfurt
SC Freiburg vs. Borussia Mönchengladbach
Saturday, 18:30 CEST
RB Leipzig vs. Borussia Dortmund
Sunday, 15:30 CEST
Werder Bremen vs. FC Augsburg
Sunday, 17:30 CEST
FSV Mainz 05 vs. TSG 1899 Hoffenheim