Bundesliga preview: Bayern visit Fuerth
24 August 2012
Bayern Munich begin their season with a trip to newly-promoted Greuther Fuerth.
The Champions League finalists, who finished eight points adrift of Dortmund in second place, trumped Dortmund in the 2012 SuperCup and are full of confidence heading into their clash at Trolli ARENA.
Despite leading marksman Mario Gomez (ankle injury) facing a stint on the sidelines, the arrivals of Mario Mandzukic (Wolfsburg) and Claudio Pizarro (Werder Bremen) should help deal with the loss.
Fuerth topped the 2.Bundesliga table last season and will play in Germany's leading division for the first time in their history but face an uphill task against the nation's most successful club.
In other first-round fixtures, Fortuna Dusseldorf, who were promoted to the Bundesliga via a controversial relegation/promotion playoff, tackle Augsburg, while the surprise packets of 2011/12, Gladbach, play host to Hoffenheim.
German international goalkeeper Rene Adler will make his debut for Hamburg against Nuremberg and Freiburg entertain Mainz.
Meanwhile, Stuttgart welcome Felix Magath's Wolfsburg to the Mercedes-Benz Arena on Sunday, Sami Hyypia's Bayer Leverkusen do battle against Eintracht Frankfurt and Schalke face Hannover in the round's remaining match, as they bid to replicate their third-placed effort this season.