Two sides with six points from their opening two Bundesliga games meet on Saturday when Bayern Munich host Bayer Leverkusen at the Allianz Arena.
The champions enter the match with the aim of securing an early advantage at the top of the table as Leverkusen look to prove that they can push Pep Guardiola's side this season.
Bayern Munich
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Looking at the table to see Bayern with two wins from two Bundesliga games will come as no surprise to anyone, but it has taken two contrasting displays to ensure that Guardiola's side made the perfect start to the new campaign.
Starting the season as odds-on favourite to clinch a fourth successive title, Bayern were dominant on the opening night with a 5-0 thrashing of Hamburger SV, but they were given a scare last weekend before eventually claiming a dramatic 2-1 win over Hoffenheim.
After falling behind to a goal from Kevin Volland in the opening minute, Bayern were always facing an uphill challenge but their resilience was on display as Robert Lewandowski struck late to secure the points after Eugen Polanski had missed a penalty and Jerome Boateng was sent off for two bookable offences.
If the title race is to be closer than the last two seasons, Guardiola will point to victories such as the one over Hoffenheim as crucial moments and he was quick to reveal his delight with the display, calling it one of the "best Bundesliga performances" of his reign.
Despite rumours suggesting that they still hold an interest in Kevin De Bruyne, new arrivals appear to be unlikely before the transfer deadline, but there was good news this week as Thiago Alcantara signed a new four-year contract.
The depth of the squad remains impressive and Guardiola will be hopeful that his current group can prove they are still too strong for one of the sides desperate to make an impact at the top of the table.
Recent form: WW
Recent form (all competitions): WWW
Bayer Leverkusen
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Roger Schmidt's side will make the toughest trip of the season full of confidence after reaching the group stage of the Champions League with an impressive second-leg victory over Lazio on Wednesday night.
Trailing 1-0 from the first leg, Leverkusen dominated from the first whistle to progress with goals from Hakan Calhanoglu, Admir Mehmedi and Karim Bellarabi, and the performance suggested that they are strong enough to qualify for the knockout stages for the second campaign in a row. Their reward for qualifying was a place in Group E alongside Bate, Roma and defending champions Barcelona.
It was another example of the progress being made under Schmidt, whose side were left thanking Calhanoglu last weekend when his stunning free kick led them to a 1-0 triumph over Hannover, and he will be keen for Leverkusen to make a statement at the Allianz Arena.
Finishing behind Bayern, Wolfsburg and Borussia Monchengladbach was enough to earn them a place in the Champions League, but with a talented mix of exciting youngsters and influential veterans, the optimism surrounding the club is clear as they bid to improve on last season's fourth-place finish.
Keeping key players at the club is key, with the likes of Calhanoglu, Bellarabi and Julian Brandt proving that the future is bright, but the Leverkusen attack is expected to be dealt a blow as Son Heung-min closes in on a move to Tottenham Hotspur.
It remains unclear whether they will reinvest before the deadline, but Schmidt and the current squad will be quietly confident of surprising the champions with a win on Saturday evening.
Recent form: WW
Recent form (all competitions): WWLWW
Team News
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Bayern have no new injury concerns to worry about, but Lewandowski is likely to return to the side after coming off the bench to score the winner against Hoffenheim.
The Polish striker's return could see Mario Gotze drop to the bench, while Dante is likely to be handed a starting spot in place of the suspended Boateng.
Leverkusen look set to be without Son for the second game in a row as he nears a move to North London, and Schmidt could be prepared to name an unchanged side following the comfortable win over Lazio.
Bayern possible starting lineup:
Neuer, Lahm, Benatia, Dante, Alaba, Alonso, Vidal, Costa, Robben, Muller, Lewandowski
Leverkusen possible starting lineup:
Leno, Hilbert, Tah, Papadopoulos, Wendell, Bender, Kramer, Bellarabi, Calhanoglu, Mehmedi, Kiessling
Head To Head
Leverkusen capitalised on Bayern's involvement in the latter stages of the Champions League to record a 2-0 win when the two sides last met in May, with goals from Calhanoglu and Brandt clinching the points for their side.
However, their record at the Allianz Arena will not fill the club's fans with confidence ahead of the trip to Bavaria.
The 2-1 win at the home of the champions in October 2012 is the only time Leverkusen have triumphed in an away fixture against Bayern in their last 25 visits.
We say: Bayern Munich 3-1 Bayer Leverkusen
Leverkusen may have been comfortable in beating Lazio, but their efforts in midweek mean that Bayern enter the match as the fresher of the two sides. Guardiola's men will have taken confidence from their resilient display in the win over Hoffenheim and they should be the team to extend their winning run.
Callum Mulvihill
