Bayern head into first-ever clash at Elversberg on the back of a strong run

A maiden encounter: At , FC Bayern take on SV Elversberg for the first time in a competitive match. The 948th pairing in Bundesliga history has thrown up a clash of opposites. The record champions have played 2,080 matches in the top flight alone, whilst newcomers Elversberg have played just two so far. The municipality of Spiesen-Elversberg in the district of Neunkirchen has a population of around 13,000 while FCB, by contrast, has well over 430,000 members. However, following a sensational start to the season, SVE currently sit above the Munich side in the league – and so, once again, the truth will be revealed on the pitch on Sunday. Read on to find out what impressive statis Bayern have to offer against this surprise package.

SVE are Bayern’s 57th opponents in the Bundesliga – the Munich side have won at least one game in the competition against each of the other 56 clubs. FC Bayern have in fact won all of their last ten maiden encounters – the most recent of eight defeats in first-time meetings like this (1-0) came in October 2000 at Energie Cottbus.

Although the recent 0–0 draw at Schalke wasn’t the result Bayern had hoped for, it did at least mean their strong run continued: the record champions are now unbeaten in 27 Bundesliga matches away from home (20 wins, seven draws) – their last away defeat was a 2–1 loss to 1. FSV Mainz 05 in mid-December 2024. Bayern have only ever recorded one longer run of this type – between 2012 and 2014, they went 33 matches in a row without suffering defeat on the road.

More facts on the maiden clash in Elversberg

83 per cent – FC Bayern clearly dominated the game at Schalke. The Munich side enjoyed 83 per cent possession in Gelsenkirchen – FCB have recorded a higher percentage in the Bundesliga on just three occasions in the past 20 years.

46 attempts – SV Elversberg conceded the most shots on goal (46) on the first two matchdays, whilst FC Bayern conceded the fewest (15). Apart from Werder Bremen (48) at the start of the 2023/24 season, no team has faced as many attempts on goal in their first two matches in the past 16 years.

7 goals – SV Elversberg are the only Bundesliga newcomers, apart from MSV Duisburg (1963/64), to have scored seven goals in their first two matches in the top flight.

Six points – The last Bundesliga newcomers to pick up the full haul of points – as Elversberg have done – were TSG Hoffenheim in the 2008/09 season, after two matchdays.

98 Bundesliga goals – Harry Kane is still waiting for his first league goal of the season and continues to sit on 98 goals after 96 Bundesliga matches. The record for the fewest matches taken to reach the 100-goal mark in the Bundesliga is held by Dieter Müller (129).

No. 4 from the Saarland – Following Borussia Neunkirchen (3W/1D/0L), FC Homburg (4W/1D/1L) and 1. FC Saarbrücken (4W/2D/2L), SVE is the fourth club from the Saarland that FC Bayern will face in the Bundesliga. Whilst the fixtures in Munich have usually been one-sided affairs, the Saarland is the only federal state in which the record champions have a negative record (2 wins, 4 draws, 3 defeats in nine away matches there).

The Munic men warmed up for the game at Elversberg with rousing CL win: