Next one against Elversberg: Bayern's maiden meetings in the Bundesliga

Bayern wasted no time in introducing themselves to Bundesliga newcomers Holstein Kiel in September 2024. There were just 15 seconds on the clock when Jamal Musiala gave the Munich men the lead, also scoring the fastest away goal in the club’s Bundesliga history. Only Giovane Élber, who netted after 11 seconds against Hamburger SV in 1998, and Lothar Matthäus, who scored after 13 seconds against Borussia Mönchengladbach in 1986, have recorded quicker goals for the German record champions – but they were both in Munich.

Almost two years to the day later, FCB now make the trip to another maiden meeting in the top flight. Again it’s on Matchday 3 (Sunday, 17:30 CEST), only this time it’s in the far west of the country at SV Elversberg. The Saarland club will become the 57th different opponent that Bayern have faced in the Bundesliga – and these first encounters have gone particularly well in recent times.

Of their previous 56 first-time fixtures in the German top flight, the Reds have won 39, with nine draws and eight defeats. The last match of this type that Bayern didn’t win was 26 years ago: a narrow 1-0 reverse at Energie Cottbus in the year 2000. Since then, newcomers have been no match for the record champions – all 10 meetings have ended in Munich wins. An 11th consecutive victory in Elversberg on Sunday would be apt in some way.

As good as Bayern’s record looks now, it didn’t start well 61 years ago. FCB, as newcomers themselves, played their very first Bundesliga fixture following promotion in 1965 against TSV 1860 Munich. The Lions came out on top 1-0 in the city derby – a painful defeat, but one which would provide fire for a surprisingly strong debut campaign for the team from Säbener Straße. The two meetings against 1860, the match against Borussia Dortmund (2-0) and the clash with 1. FC Köln (6-1) were the only first-time fixtures that Bayern lost (W12, D2). The team of Sepp Maier, Franz Beckenbauer and Gerd Müller finished in third place – not bad for a promoted side!

Zlatko “Tschik” Čajkovski’s side particularly caused a sensation against Borussia Neunkirchen, with a magnificent 6-0 win at home at the Grünwalder Stadion on 4 September 1965. Rainer Ohlhauser, Gerd Müller (two goals apiece), Rudolf Nafziger and Dieter Brenninger were on the scoresheet against the Saarland club, who now play in the sixth tier. The underdog role appeared to suit Bayern; only in the maiden meeting with Köln on 11 December 1965 were they humbled, when they returned to Munich with a 6-1 drubbing.

Wattenscheid swept aside

Incidentally, in their first meeting with Holstein Kiel two years ago, Munich won 6–1 following a flying start, though that wasn’t quite enough to secure a place in the top three when it comes to opening victories. Munich also celebrated a 6–0 triumph – just like in 1965 against Borussia Neunkirchen – in their first Bundesliga match against Waldhof Mannheim on 17 September 1983; Karl-Heinz Rummenigge alone scored three of the goals at the Olympiastadion that day. It was an even more emphatic victory when SG Wattenscheid 09 faced FCB for the first time in Germany’s top flight on 24 September 1990. Coach Jupp Heynckes’s team put seven past the newly promoted side at Oktoberfest time in Munich, with the goals scored by Roland Wohlfarth, Brian Laudrup (two each), Stefan Effenberg, Manfred Bender and Jürgen Kohler.

It was equally high-scoring in the maiden meeting with VfL Wolfsburg on 9 August 1997. A humdinger of a contest ended in a 5-2 away win for the record champions, with Élber, Ruggiero Rizzitelli (two apiece) and Thomas Strunz on target. So, how entertaining will Bayern’s 57th maiden fixture be in Elversberg? We’re keen to see!

A visit to the small town of Elversberg.