Bayern Munich vs Heidenheim

Bayern Munich will be odds-on favorites to maintain their phenomenal form when they encounter Bundesliga newcomers Heidenheim at the Allianz Arena this weekend.

Bayern Munich’s rip-roaring form continued in midweek Champions League action with a 2-1 home win over Galatasaray, which confirmed their knockout qualification with two games to spare. Despite commencing this round in unfamiliar territory, two points adrift of Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen, the perennial champions are brimming with confidence after a ten-game unbeaten start to their title defense (W8, D2), bookended by an emphatic 4-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund in last weekend’s Der Klassiker. A 2-2 draw against Leverkusen remains the only blemish on Bayern’s otherwise sterling home league record this season (W4), with each of those four wins yielding multi-goal margins, including a stunning 8-0 win over Darmstadt last time out. Indeed, Thomas Tuchel’s men have netted an eye-watering 23 goals in just five home league matches this term.

Meanwhile, Heidenheim’s first-ever top-flight promotion led many to believe they could be Bundesliga whipping boys, yet it’s been anything but. Frank Schmidt’s side snapped a three-game losing league run with a massive 2-0 home victory over Bayern’s top-four rivals Stuttgart, making it three wins in the first ten Bundesliga games (D1, L6) and climbing to 13th in the table, four points clear of the dreaded relegation playoff spot. However, playing away from home has been Heidenheim’s Achilles heel, with the visitors mustering just one point on their five Bundesliga travels this season (D1, L4). Their last three away league games have yielded defeats and saw them concede 2+ goals, which hardly makes for good reading ahead of this trip.