In their quest for an unprecedented 12th consecutive title, Bayern Munich kick off their Bundesliga campaign on Friday against Werder Bremen, who play host to the perennial champions of Germany.

Bayern, after a humbling defeat in the DFL-Supercup, are eager to reassert their dominance at Weserstadion, a venue where they have emerged victorious in their last 14 visits. Werder Bremen, on the other hand, had the lowest number of home points in the league last season.

Bayern Munich, following a pre-season that began with a resounding 27-0 victory and included a quick trip to Japan and Singapore, resumed competitive action last week with RB Leipzig as their opponents in the DFL-Supercup.

In a surprising turn of events, Thomas Tuchel’s side suffered a 3-0 loss to the DFB-Pokal winners in German football’s curtain-raiser. The debut of the high-profile signing, Harry Kane, as a second-half substitute, did little to alter the outcome after his transfer from Tottenham Hotspur.

As Bayern looks to recover from this setback and initiate their pursuit of a 12th straight league title, Harry Kane is poised to make his first start on Friday night when the Bavarian giants face their familiar opponents.

With an impressive record of 27 victories in 31 competitive matches against Werder Bremen and nearly a hundred goals, Bayern’s last defeat in this fixture dates back to September 2008. Additionally, Tuchel, who led Bayern to clinch the top spot on the final day of the previous season, has secured victory in his last nine matches against Werder, a streak that extends to 2013.

Despite a dip in their performance, Bayern was once again the best away team in Germany last season, accumulating 33 points on the road to narrowly secure the title over Tuchel’s former club, Borussia Dortmund. In contrast, Werder Bremen suffered 10 home defeats.

Given Bayern’s unbroken record of not losing their opening fixture in the past 21 years, the odds appear to be in their favor as they approach the clash on the opening night.

Match Preview: Werder Bremen vs. Bayern Munich – Predictions, Team Updates, Lineups

Notably, Werder Bremen has not secured a victory in their first game during any of the past eight Bundesliga seasons. Moreover, the team have suffered more losses against Bayern Munich than against any other team in the league, with their stats reaching 60 and counting.

Towards the end of the previous season, Werder Bremen experienced a narrow 2-1 home loss against the Bavarians, concluding their return to the top flight with a 13th-place finish.

Ole Werner’s team managed to maintain only a three-point lead over the relegation playoff position. They secured just one victory in their last 12 Bundesliga matches and suffered eight defeats, concluding the 2022-23 campaign on a disappointing note.

Resuming competitive action with another defeat last week, Werder Bremen, playing with 10 men, were eliminated from the DFB-Pokal by 3. Liga side Viktoria Koln. Conceding three goals in the final 20 minutes, including a stoppage-time strike, led to a 3-2 defeat.

The battle for survival might be on the horizon once again, with Bremen relying heavily on Niclas Fullkrug to steer them to safety. The German striker emerged as the joint-top scorer in the Bundesliga last season with 15 goals.

Team Updates

Match Preview: Werder Bremen vs. Bayern Munich – Predictions, Team Updates, Lineups

Jamal Musiala, who scored the title-winning goal for Bayern Munich on the dramatic final day of the previous season, is set to pair up with the newly acquired star, Harry Kane, for Friday’s match. In the 2022-23 season, only Frankfurt’s Randal Kolo Muani had more goal involvements (26) than either Musiala (22) or Bremen’s Niclas Fullkrug (21).

Harry Kane scored 213 goals in the last 320 Premier League matches ahead of joining Bayern Munich, combined with stars Kim Min-jae and Raphael Guerreiro as huge addition to the squad. However, Guerreiro is predicted to roll out from the match due to a calf injury.

Konrad Laimer, another free transfer addition, will compete with Leon Goretzka for a spot in central midfield. Meanwhile, first-choice goalkeeper Manuel Neuer remains sidelined, leading Sven Ulreich to step in after Sommer’s departure to Inter.

While Werder Bremen brought in Naby Keita from Liverpool earlier in the summer, he is unavailable due to a groin injury sustained in pre-season.

Amos Pieper, who received a red card in the cup defeat last week, is suspended, making way for club captain Marco Friedl to slot into the hosts’ back three.

Poland international Dawid Kownacki, a recent addition, could provide support for Fullkrug in the forward line.

Probable Starting Lineups

Werder Bremen:

Pavlenka; Veljkovic, Stark, Friedl; Weiser, Bittencourt, Stage, Jung; Kownacki, Ducksch; Fullkrug

Bayern Munich:

Kane, Ulreich; Pavard, Kim, De Ligt, Gnabry , Davies; Kimmich, Laimer; Sane, Musiala;

Match Prediction

We predict a 3-1 victory for Bayern Munich. Despite a recent stumble, Bayern’s squad appears stronger than ever, with a multitude of international talents vying for a place on the bench. With the potential to feed Harry Kane the right service, goals are likely to flow, pointing towards their 15th consecutive victory at Weserstadion.