Bundesliga season kicks off on Friday as Bayern host Schalke

Once again Bayern are the big favourites to claim their ninth successive title in what should be an atypical season, with a new calendar imposed by the coronavirus pandemic and uncertainties around the presence of fans in the stadiums.
Bayern had initially hoped for 7,500 fans but a growing number of coronavirus cases in the region then prompted authorities on Thursday to order the game to take place behind closed doors after all.
In the traditional Friday opening slot reserved for the champions since 2002, the holders have never lost this match, winning 14 and drawing four.
Munich coach Hansi Flick had only 10 days to get his players ready for the first competitive match of the season, even though Bayern were given extra time off from their Champions League winning exploits in August, with their first round in the German Cup delayed to October.
"I want my team to keep the feet on the ground," Flick told 11Freunde magazine.
"A team can develop some type of arrogance when they win often. I don't wanna see that happening with us, but I don't worry a lot about it because our squad it's not inclined to it."
As for Schalke, their German Cup opener against fourth-tier Schweinfurt was also postponed and the new date is yet to be confirmed.
In the Bundesliga, the club don't bring good memories from the previous season as they haven’t won a league game in a club record 17 matches, the last triumph dating to January 17 against Gladbach - while Bayern is unbeaten in the last 30 games, 20 of them in the Bundesliga.
"We are playing against the best team in Europe, maybe in the world. But I'd rather play against Bayern at the beginning of the season than in the middle when they are already right on track," Schalke's Amit Harit told Kicker sports magazine.
If Schalke won’t have an easy start in the league the same applies for their biggest rivals Borussia Dortmund. On Saturday Lucien Favre’s side have a mouthwatering encounter with Borussia Moenchengladbach on the first matchday at Signal Iduna Park.
Trying to close the gap to Bayern and clinch their first league title since 2012, Dortmund have reinforced their squad this summer bringing in two exciting teenage talents: former Birmingham midfielder Jude Bellingham and Real Madrid loanee Reinier.
As for Gladbach, they have been creating trouble for Bayern in direct match-ups but still failing to achieve the higher positions in the table. This season, however, things could be different as Gladbach return to the Champions League after almost four years since their last game in European's top-flight competition.
Champions League semi-finalists Leipzig are another team trying to challenge Bayern’s domestic reign. After a successful European season, they will start the league hosting Mainz in front of 8,500 fans, who will be allowed in the Red Bull Arena on Sunday.
One of Leipzig’s biggest challenges this season will be to move on from striker Timo Werner, who joined Chelsea. "We signed Hee-chan Hwang from Salzburg but of course we cannot replace Timo," coach Julian Nagelsmann said.
Promoted Arminia Bielefeld return to the Bundesliga after 11 years and travel to Eintracht Frankfurt, while returning VfB Stuttgart host Freiburg at the Mercedes-Benz Arena.
Last season's relegation play-off survivors Werder Bremen try to start a makeover hosting Hertha Berlin, one of only two Bundesliga clubs so far already eliminated from the German Cup (losing 5-4 to second division Eintracht Braunschweig) along with Bielefeld.
Hertha’s neighbours Union Berlin host Augsburg in the German capital, while Hoffenheim travel to Cologne. Closing the first Bundesliga matchday Wolfsburg host Bayer Leverkusen at the Volkswagen Arena on Sunday.