Bayern Munich won the title by four points from Borussia Dortmund in May, losing just one of 34 games
Schalke, Elversberg and Paderborn have been promoted from the second tier
This is uncharted territory for Elversberg as they make their bow in the top division
A new season of Bundesliga action begins this weekend as Bayern Munich begin their quest for three in a row and a 14th title in 15 years.
There is also the prospect of a Bundesliga debutant as Elversberg mix it with the best in German football for the first time.
The small Saarland-based outfit have enjoyed a meteoric rise over recent years and came up as runners-up in the second tier last season.
Bayern Munich vs Stuttgart – Friday August 28 (7.30pm)
Bayern scored a record-breaking 122 goals in the league last season and finished their season beating Stuttgart 3-0 in the DFB Pokal. They were 12-2 aggregate winners across three meetings last season and have scored 11 in the last three meetings at the Allianz Arena.
Prediction: Bayern Munich 4-1 Stuttgart (6/1 with LiveScore Bet)
FC Koln vs Hoffenheim - Saturday August 29 (2.30pm)
Both sides warmed up with DFB Pokal wins over lower tier opposition. It finished 2-2 here in February and both teams have scored in five of the last six meetings at the RheinEnergieStadion. Koln won only seven times last season and were draw specialists.
Prediction: FC Koln 1-1 Hoffenheim (21/4 with LiveScore Bet)
Union Berlin vs Eintracht Frankfurt – Saturday August 29 (2.30pm)
These sides tend to bring goals when they meet. The last two games in Berlin have been score draws, with the last four in the Bundesliga have produced a combined 14 goals.
Prediction: Union Berlin 1-1 Eintracht Frankfurt (29/4 with LiveScore Bet)
Elversberg vs Bayer Leverkusen – Saturday August 29 (2.30pm)
Three promotions in five seasons have led Elversberg to the Promised Land but it is a tough start against a Leverkusen outfit with more than €100m acquired in reinforcements this summer. The visitors had just two clean sheets from 17 away games last season.
Prediction: Elversberg 1-3 Bayer Leverkusen (9/1 with LiveScore Bet)
Mainz vs Paderborn – Saturday August 29 (2.30pm)
Paderborn came up after defeating Wolfsburg in a two-legged play-off in May; Mainz finished mid-table last season with 40 points from 34 games. They have won all three previous Bundesliga games at home to the side from the west.
Prediction: Mainz 2-1 Paderborn (13/2 with LiveScore Bet)
RB Leipzig vs Borussia Monchengladbach – Saturday August 29 (2.30pm)
Leipzig are now without Yan Diomande after he left for Real Madrid and they also have a new manager in Martin Demichelis. Visitors Borussia Monchengladbach are winless in 11 Bundesliga games away from home and are 0-10 at Leipzig previously.
Prediction: RB Leipzig 3-0 Borussia Monchengladbach (17/2 with LiveScore Bet)
Borussia Dortmund vs Hamburg – Saturday August 29 (5.30pm)
Hamburg have lost their last four visits to Signal Iduna Park in the league and have conceded 11 goals in doing so, with at least two per game. They led 0-2 at half-time here in March but shipped three times in 11 second-half minutes.
Prediction: Borussia Dortmund 3-0 Hamburg (7/1 with LiveScore Bet)
Freiburg vs Werder Bremen – Sunday August 30 (2.30pm)
Werder Bremen beat the trapdoor by one place last season, with only basement side St Pauli scoring fewer goals than their 37. Freiburg combined a run to the Europa League final with a seventh-place finish and have won the last four meetings without conceding a goal.
Prediction: Freiburg 2-0 Werder Bremen (15/2 with LiveScore Bet)
Augsburg vs Schalke – Sunday August 30 (4.30pm)
Schalke are back in the Bundesliga after a three-year absence and face an Augsburg side whose 61 goals conceded last season was the fifth-highest in the division. Both teams have scored in the last seven Bundesliga meetings at the WWK Arena, with five draws in the last eight here.
