Two weeks prior to the start of the new Bundesliga season, the first highlight of the new campaign takes place on Saturday evening when treble winners Bayern Munich visit Borussia Dortmund for a clash to win another cup.
Follow Live: Bayern Munich at Borussia Dortmund Live
It is no friendly either, because 63 days after the sides last met at Wembley in the Champions League final, there is another trophy at stake, namely the DFL German Supercup.
Both teams have strengthened their squad since they last met in the Champions League final last season, but its Bayern Munich, who will start as the team to beat.
“We want to win the match, we want to succeed, we want a good start to the season,” Bayern board member for sport Matthias Sammer declared.
The Bundesliga champions will certainly be out to give new head coach Pep Guardiola his first piece of silverware since taking over at the end of last season, but club captain Philipp Lahm isn’t expecting any favours from their arch rivals.
“The first proper cup is at stake,” said Lahm. “Playing in Dortmund isn’t easy, as we all know.”
Bayern Munich, the treble winners from last season, have picked up from where they left with a very impressive preseason campaign, which includes nine wins in nine matches, while scoring 61 goals and just three conceded.
Bayern Munich team: 22. Tom Starke, 5. Daniel van Buyten, 17. Jerome Boateng, 21. Philipp Lahm, 6. Thiago Alcantara, 10. Arjen Robben, 11. Xherdan Shaqiri, 27. David Alaba, 39. Toni Kroos, 9. Mario Mandzukic, 25. Thomas Muller
Borussia Dortmund team: 1. Roman Weidenfeller, 4. Neven Subotic, 15. Mats Hummels, 29. Marcel Schmelzer, 6. Sven Bender, 8. Ilkay Gundogan, 16. Jakub Blaszczykowski, 18. Nuri Sahin, 19. Kevin Grosskreutz, 9. Robert Lewandowski, 11. Marco Reus
fc bayern munchen vs borusia dortmund.