Overshadowed by Bayern Munich's explosive start to the season, RB Leipzig are quietly putting together an impressive opening to their Bundesliga campaign.

Leipzig travel to Hoffenheim on Saturday in second spot, five behind league leaders Bayern.

Thumped 6-0 by Bayern in the season opener in Munich, Leipzig have since claimed 22 of a possible 24 points.

Without European football this season, Leipzig have had the time to bed in their new recruits.

Having lost big names like Xavi Simons, Benjamin Sesko and Lois Openda in the summer, the Red Bull-owned club brought in more than a dozen young talents.

Coach Ole Werner was brought in from Werder Bremen in the summer, after Red Bull football boss Jurgen Klopp sacked former manager and friend Marco Rose.

"The short duration it took for the team to come together as a team on the pitch is a bit surprising," RB Leipzig CEO Johann Plenge told AFP and other reporters on Thursday.

"I think it's remarkable how the team managed this loss on the first matchday," Plenge said, but added, "it helped them get closer together in the locker room".

"By winning more and more, the team has become more confident.

"The coach is already quite confident. And I think it's becoming a well-oiled machine."

Squad update ahead of #TSGRBL 📋

▪️ Castello Jr. suffered an injury to his right shoulder during a challenge against VfB Stuttgart. A decision on whether he will be part of the squad this weekend will be made following tomorrow's final training session.

▪️ Kosta Nedeljkovic… pic.twitter.com/iZ6Y9dUXyg

— RB Leipzig English (@RBLeipzig_EN) November 6, 2025

The standout new arrival is 18-year-old Yan Diomande.

Signed for 20 million euros ($23 million) after just six months at Leganes, the Ivorian has contributed two goals and three assists in his past two matches.

"We already knew that he was a top talent and that he had a strong mindset," Plenge said.

"(But) we were surprised that it only took a couple of matchdays to bring this immediately onto the pitch."

Plenge said Diomande would become "one of the faces of our club in the upcoming seasons".

ONE TO WATCH: Victor Boniface (Werder Bremen)

A last-minute loan signing from Bayer Leverkusen, Nigerian striker Victor Boniface is still finding his feet at Werder Bremen.

Boniface created a goal six minutes after coming off the bench in his first Bremen match, but since then has not registered a goal or assist.

The 24-year-old, who contributed 14 goals and nine assists in 23 league games as Leverkusen won the title in 2023-24, said his contributions were more than goals or assists.

Speaking with AFP and other media on Tuesday, Boniface said: "When you score, bam, you're Ronaldinho, but people don't watch the games.

"I'm new to the club, I'm new to the city. I'm getting used to this. Sometimes you come to a club and you just click.

"People are focusing on who hasn't scored, but if you watch the game, you can see what I contributed to the team."

KEY STATS

27 - With nine wins from nine, Bayern have claimed 27 points from 27. Only once has this happened before, when Bayern won ten under Pep Guardiola in 2015-2016.

12 - Harry Kane has 12 goals in nine games so far this season. Eintracht Frankfurt's Jonathan Burkardt is the next best with six.

6 - St Pauli have lost six games in a row.

Fixtures (2.30pm GMT unless stated)

Friday

Werder Bremen v Wolfsburg (7.30pm)

Saturday

Hoffenheim v RB Leipzig, Bayer Leverkusen v Heidenheim, Hamburg v Borussia Dortmund, Union Berlin v Bayern Munich, Borussia Moenchengladbach v Cologne (5.30pm)

Sunday

Freiburg v St Pauli, Stuttgart v Augsburg (4.30pm), Eintracht Frankfurt v Mainz (6.30pm)

Cologne cruised to a 4-1 home win over Hamburg on Sunday as the visitors picked up two late red cards and finished with nine men.

Ragnar Ache put Cologne in front midway through the opening half and Florian Kainz doubled the lead just after halftime.

Hamburg, who twice had goals ruled out by VAR, struck back through Jean-Luc Dompe but tempers boiled over in the closing stages.

Immanuel Pherai picked up two quick yellow cards and was sent off with 11 minutes remaining. Arsenal loanee Fabio Vieira soon followed him after collecting a second booking for remonstrating with the referee.

FULL-TIME! BIG WIN AND BACK TO WINNING WAYS!
___
4:1 #KOEHSV #effzeh pic.twitter.com/1Y0QVc0GHJ

— 1. FC Cologne (@fckoeln_en) November 2, 2025

Said El Mala and Jakub Kaminski both scored for Cologne in stoppage time, with the victory lifting Cologne to sixth.

Former European Cup winners Hamburg, back in the Bundesliga after seven seasons in the second division, are in 13th place.

Bayern Munich on Sunday announced a new record annual turnover of 978.3 million euros ($1.13 billion), while re-electing president Herbert Hainer for a third three-year term.

The announcements came at Bayern's AGM on Sunday, with the club's revenue for the 2024-25 season 2.8 per cent higher than that in the previous campaign.

The club generated a profit of 27.1 million euros, down from 43.1 million euros in 2023-24 and 35.7 million the season before.

ℹ️ 𝗨̈𝗕𝗘𝗥𝗕𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗞 🔴⚪️

Alle Reden in der Zusammenfassung und im Video:

🔗 Hainer: https://t.co/znSZQ6DKtI
🔗 Dreesen: https://t.co/n7IsD1ORoB
🔗 Prof. Dr. Mayer / Mennekes: https://t.co/cDhvrvYpmw#FCBJHV pic.twitter.com/o5TcvsHKp0

— FC Bayern München (@FCBayern) November 2, 2025

"Despite tumultuous times and a transfer market which is reaching new dimensions, we have once again achieved record turnover and posted a solid profit," said CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen.

"This demonstrates the exceptional strength and substance of our club. We are not volatile, Bayern is stable."

The defending German champions also announced membership had reached 432 500, the highest in the club's history and more than that of any other football team.

Herbert Hainer remains our FC Bayern president! 🔴⚪️

Congratulations! 👏 pic.twitter.com/mYdExDmW1p

— FC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) November 2, 2025

Hainer was re-elected unopposed, winning the support of the vast majority of voting members.

With a few exceptions, German football clubs are required to adhere to the so-called '50+1 rule', requiring members to retain a controlling share in the club.

The rule ensures members and fans control clubs and prevents external investors having a majority say.

Bayern Munich cruised to a 3-0 home win over Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday despite benching Harry Kane and several others ahead of Tuesday's trip to European champions Paris Saint-Germain.

Chelsea loanee Nicolas Jackson grabbed his first Bundesliga goal, Serge Gnabry opened the scoring and Bayern forced an own goal, all in the first half.

Bayern coach Vincent Kompany benched Kane for the first time in any competition this season, as well as forwards Michael Olise, Luis Diaz and defender Dayot Upamecano.

The absences did not bother Bayern, who have begun the season in fearsome form. The victory was Bayern's 15th in 15 games, extending their own record for the best start to a season in the history of Europe's top-five leagues.

Gnabry opened the scoring with 25 minutes gone, catching former Liverpool centre-back Jarell Quansah napping to score on the counter.

Jackson headed in a cross while unmarked on the penalty spot shortly after.

Just before halftime, France centre-back Loic Bade cut the ball into his own net while trying to control a Raphael Guerreiro pass.

The defeat ended Leverkusen's unbeaten run away from home at 37 matches, a Bundesliga record.

Leverkusen had not lost to Bayern in the league since September 2022, a run which included their unbeaten league and cup double in 2023-24.

The victory restored Bayern's five-point lead atop the table.

In the Champions League, Bayern, who have won three from three, sit second in the table on goal difference behind PSG.

LEIPZIG GO SECOND

RB Leipzig's teenage forward Yan Diomande scored one goal and forced another as his side beat Stuttgart 3-1 at home.

Leipzig returned to second spot after Dortmund had leapfrogged the Red Bulls with a 1-0 win at Augsburg on Friday.

Asked if Leipzig were Bayern's main challengers, captain David Raum said his side were "only focusing on ourselves", but added: "We don't have to hide the mentality and the momentum we currently have."

Leipzig and Stuttgart enjoyed several chances in an exciting opening half before Diomande forced a breakthrough just before halftime.

The 18-year-old Ivorian dribbled down the right and delivered a low cross which Stuttgart defender Jeff Chabot turned into his own net.

Eight minutes into the second half, Diomande danced through three Stuttgart defenders before blasting a low shot into the bottom corner.

Tiago Tomas scored for Stuttgart to cut Leipzig's lead but Romulo made sure of the win when he pounced on a error from visiting goalkeeper Alexander Nuebel and tapped home.

Leipzig were thumped 6-0 by Bayern in their league opener but since then have claimed 22 of a possible 24 Bundesliga points.

Diomande was one of an array of talented newcomers to join the side in the summer as the club focused on youth in Jurgen Klopp's first transfer window as football coordinator of Leipzig's parent company Red Bull.

Eintracht Frankfurt's struggles continued with a 1-1 draw at last-placed Heidenheim, days after Dortmund booted them out of the German Cup.

Frankfurt's Danish defender Rasmus Kristensen scored in the second half to cancel out Budu Zivzivadze's opener.

The draw leaves Frankfurt in sixth, having won just once in their past seven matches in all competitions.

Union Berlin and Freiburg played out a scoreless draw in the German capital, with both sides having goals struck off by VAR.

Elsewhere, Borussia Moenchengladbach won their first Bundesliga game since March with Haris Tabakovic bagging a brace in a 4-0 victory at St Pauli.

Jens Stage scored an equaliser with four minutes left as Werder Bremen snatched a 1-1 draw at lowly Mainz.

A first-half Serhou Guirassy goal secured Borussia Dortmund a 1-0 win over Augsburg on Friday in a warm-up for next week's Champions League trip to Manchester City.

The victory took Dortmund to second in the Bundesliga, four points behind leaders Bayern Munich, who host Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday.

Dortmund were solid but far from spectacular against a struggling Augsburg, who had won one of their past eight.

Trick or treat. 🍬👻 pic.twitter.com/J24EtcVLhE

— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) October 31, 2025

In a match with few chances for either side, the visitors needed an Augsburg mistake to take the lead eight minutes before halftime.

Chrislain Matsima blasted a clearance into his teammate Han-Noah Massengo, with the ball falling perfectly to Guirassy.

The Guinean took a touch and blasted through the outstretched hand of Augsburg goalkeeper Finn Dahmen. The goal was Guirassy's first in the league since mid-September.

"We played 120 minutes on Tuesday in Frankfurt. You could already tell in Frankfurt how every single player was already at their limit," Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel told Sky Germany.

"These types of games are super difficult," Kobel said of Friday's match.

"A short turnaround, another away game, more flying, more travelling. I wouldn't say it was a top performance, but we kept a clean sheet at the back, we won the game."

The start of the match was delayed when Dortmund fans threw tennis balls onto the pitch, protesting the late starting time and calling for all Bundesliga matches to be moved to Saturday afternoon.

Having gone to extra time in Tuesday's German Cup win at Eintracht Frankfurt that went to penalties, Dortmund coach Niko Kovac made six changes to his starting line-up.

The coach rested a handful of regulars and elected to leave defender and captain Nico Schlotterbeck, who had a light cold, at home.

The result continued Augsburg's woes under rookie coach Sandro Wagner, the former Bayern and Germany striker.

Augsburg, who were eliminated from the German Cup by second-division Bochum in midweek, have lost six of nine league games this season and sit just three points above the relegation zone.

Dortmund and City go into Wednesday's meeting in the Champions League level on seven points after three rounds of matches.

Bayern Munich's busy match schedule with three matches in seven days will not shift the focus of the German champions ahead of Saturday's Bundesliga match against visiting Bayer Leverkusen, said coach Vincent Kompany on Friday.

The Bavarians host improving Leverkusen and are looking for a record-extending 15th win in 15 matches across all competitions this season before then travelling to Paris St Germain for the Champions League next week.

Bayern have already set a record for Europe's top five leagues after beating Cologne 4-1 in the German Cup second round on Wednesday to make it 14 wins from 14 matches across all competitions.

"For me this is a top match (against Leverkusen)," Kompany told a press conference. "There is also a bit of the rivalry from the past two seasons."

Leverkusen were undefeated champions in 2024 and runners-up to Bayern last season. They are still on a league-record 37-match unbeaten streak in away games and are on 17 points in fifth place, with Bayern leading the title race on 24.

"I am not here to decide who our main title rivals are. The only thing that matters for me is to win tomorrow. But fact is the rivalry is still there, and we cannot underestimate them because of what they have done in the past weeks," Kompany added.

Leverkusen are on a four-game winning run themselves in the Bundesliga, having turned their season around with the arrival of coach Kasper Hjulmand following the sacking of Erik ten Hag after just two league games.

They also sold half a dozen key players in the close season, including Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong, but signed a string of talented players as well.

"In our calendar there is no tough phase with three games in six matches. We are used to that and it is not that we suddenly have different goals because our schedule is difficult," Kompany said.

 

📌 𝗡𝗘𝗫𝗧 𝗨𝗣: Back in Bundesliga action at the Allianz Arena against Bayer Leverkusen! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/HgJR6cYcgk

— FC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) October 30, 2025

 

Bayern's winning run since the start of the season is a record for a club from the big-five European leagues with the previous best mark set by AC Milan with 13 wins in the 1992-93 campaign.

"Leverkusen under the new coach have gathered 16 of 18 possible points," Kompany said. "So they have this top form again in the Bundesliga and are dangerous in front of goal. They lost a lot of talent but they bought a lot of talent as well."

Bayer Leverkusen will resume their recent Bundesliga rivalry at Bayern Munich on Saturday but are almost completely unrecognisable from the side who struck fear into the hearts of the Bavarian giants in past seasons.

Under Xabi Alonso, Leverkusen went toe-to-toe with Bayern for more than two seasons, pushing them harder than any German side had done since Jurgen Klopp's Borussia Dortmund more than a decade before.

Alonso's Leverkusen won three and drew three of their six domestic fixtures with Bayern during his tenure at the club, including a 3-0 demolition in February 2024 on the way to an unbeaten league and cup double.

This season however, the clubs' fortunes have reverted to type.

Leverkusen lost several first-team cornerstones in the summer and are on their second coach of the season, with Kasper Hjulmand replacing the sacked Erik ten Hag after just two Bundesliga games.

With just eight games played, Leverkusen sit fifth, seven points behind an unstoppable Bayern.

Bayern's 4-1 German Cup win over Cologne on Wednesday was their 14th in 14 games, breaking a decades-old record for the best start in the history of Europe's top-five leagues.

The contrasting records have Leverkusen looking unlikely to be the first to take points off Bayern this season, but there is hope.

Under Hjulmand, Leverkusen have won six and drawn four, losing just one match – albeit a 7-2 thumping at the hands of European champs Paris Saint-Germain.

With Wednesday's 4-2 German Cup win over second-division Paderborn going to extra time, Hjulmand promised to give his side time to recover before the trip to Bayern.

"Those extra 30 minutes were not ideal for us, but that's football.

"From now, it's all about recovery, treatment, nutrition, and everything necessary to be ready to win against Bayern.

"These next few days are important - not much training, but regaining energy."

Reborn under Hjulmand this season, midfielder Jonas Hofmann said Leverkusen would travel to Munich "not to complain, but to take something away with us."

ONE TO WATCH: Tiago Tomas

Brought in late in the window to replace the Premier League-bound Nick Woltemade, Tiago Tomas has quickly established himself in the forward line for an improving Stuttgart.

Tomas has scored twice in the league and offers speed on the wings, linking well with strikers Deniz Undav and Ermedin Demirovic.

After another summer of upheaval, Stuttgart have won their past five league matches and sit third.

"I've heard some people say we're struggling, but I think it's normal," Tomas said in an interview with the Bundesliga website on Wednesday. "If during the process you can have the wins we've had, I don't think we're struggling at all."

"I'm excited for what's next. I think we're growing together as a team."

Stuttgart travel to second-placed RB Leipzig on Saturday.

KEY STATS

5 - St Pauli have lost their last five Bundesliga games, the worst run of any team in the top five European leagues.

8 - Bayern have won eight from eight to start the league season. Their best ever opening run was winning the first 11 Bundesliga games in 2012-13.

37 - Bayer Leverkusen are unbeaten in their past 37 away games, dating back to May 2023 – a run of 25 wins and 12 draws.

FIXTURES (2:30pm GMT unless stated)

Friday

Augsburg v Borussia Dortmund (7:30pm)

Saturday

RB Leipzig v Stuttgart, Heidenheim v Eintracht Frankfurt, Union Berlin v Freiburg, Mainz v Werder Bremen, St Pauli v Borussia Moenchengladbach, Bayern Munich v Bayer Leverkusen (5:30pm)

Sunday

Cologne v Hamburg, Wolfsburg v Hoffenheim (4:30pm)

Bayer Leverkusen have seen their season turned around early under new coach Kasper Hjulmand, with a four-game winning run in the Bundesliga, but on Saturday they face their biggest test to date at flawless Bayern Munich.

Leverkusen, the 2024 Bundesliga champions, had several key players depart in the summer along with coach Xabi Alonso. Early results led to the sacking of new boss Erik ten Hag after two Bundesliga matchdays with Hjulmand arriving to steady the ship.

Only a few weeks ago, Leverkusen fans would have thought it was impossible to give the league leaders a run for their money in Munich.

The Bavarians, who travel to Paris St Germain for the Champions League next week, have set a record for Europe's top five leagues after beating Cologne 4-1 in the German Cup second round on Wednesday to make it 14 wins from 14 matches across all competitions.

But since Hjulmand's arrival, Leverkusen, who face Benfica in Lisbon in the Champions League on Wednesday, have been steadily improving and needed less time to start clicking than the Dane had expected. They are still on a league-record 37-match unbeaten streak in away games.

Leverkusen's four-game winning run has moved them up the standings into fifth spot, level on 17 points with fourth-placed Borussia Dortmund.

However, they will not be as fresh as Hjulmand would have liked, needing 120 minutes to battle past second-tier Paderborn for a 4-2 win in the German Cup, with the winning goals coming deep in stoppage time of extra time.

"Unnecessary, completely unnecessary," said Leverkusen’s Jonas Hofmann when asked about having to play extra time. "But that’s the game. That’s how it had to be now. We accept it and will try to recover.

"We will still go there (Munich) with ambition, to get something out of it and not complain. The extra 30 minutes were not helpful, of course, but we’d rather take it this way than be knocked out."

RB Leipzig have an even better record since losing their league opener to Bayern 6-0, and have now won six of their last seven matches to take over second spot on 19 points, five behind Bayern.

They will be eyeing their third straight league win when they host VfB Stuttgart on Saturday, and hoping the Bavarians will slip up against Leverkusen, in order to close the gap.

Bayer Leverkusen scored two goals after the 120-minute mark to win 4-2 at a 10-man Paderborn in the German Cup second round on Wednesday, as fellow Bundesliga side and reigning champions Stuttgart eased through.

A frustrating night for the 2024 German domestic double winners looked destined to go to spot-kicks until 19-year-old Ibrahim Maza netted to spare Leverkusen's blushes against their second-division opponents, before Aleix Garcia then added gloss to the result.

Earlier, Alejandro Grimaldo's 60th-minute free-kick for Leverkusen – his fourth dead-ball goal this season – was cancelled out when Paderborn's Stefano Marino scored in the final minute of regular time.

Leverkusen struggled to break down their less-fancied opponents, who had not lost since August.

In extra-time, Paderborn, who were reduced to 10 men before the hour for a last-man foul which led to Grimaldo's free-kick, stunningly took the lead through Sven Michel on 96 minutes.

But former Liverpool centre-back Jarell Quansah made it 2-2 shortly before the extra-time interval.

Then Maza showed composure that belied his years to fire in from close range for the visitors in the 122nd minute.

As Paderborn pushed up looking for another late equaliser, Garcia profitted to grab a fourth for Kasper Hjulmand's side.

Winners in 2023-24, Leverkusen will be joined by current cup holders Stuttgart, who won 2-0 at Mainz thanks to goals from Luca Jaquez and captain Atakan Karazor.

Centre-back Jaquez rose high to head in a corner with six minutes gone. With 73 minutes played, Karazor blasted in on the counter after Germany midfielder Angelo Stiller's clever dummy fooled the home defence.

Elsewhere, Magdeburg won at fourth-tier Illertissen 3-0 and 2024 finalists Kaiserslautern won 1-0 at Greuther Fuerth.

Wednesday's winners join Borussia Dortmund, Hertha Berlin, RB Leipzig, Hamburg, St Pauli, Borussia Moenchengladbach, Holstein Kiel and Bochum in the last 16.

Later on Wednesday, 20-time German Cup winners Bayern Munich play away at Cologne.

Borussia Dortmund eliminated Eintracht Frankfurt from the German Cup in the second round on Tuesday, winning 4-2 on penalties after the match finished 1-1.

Dortmund were faultless from the spot with Fabio Silva, Niklas Suele, Carney Chukwuemeka and Felix Nmecha all converting, while Ritsu Doan and Fares Chaibi both missed penalties for the home side.

Frankfurt's Mario Goetze and Ansgar Knauff, both cup winners with Dortmund, combined to put the home side in front after seven minutes. Goetze threaded the ball through the Dortmund defence, allowing Knauff to stroke home.

Dortmund hit back three minutes after the break, Julian Brandt tapping in a pinpoint Julian Ryerson cross from close range.

The match went to extra time and Germany striker Jonathan Burkardt looked to have sealed it for the hosts when he scored in the 115th minute, but the strike was ruled out for offside.

In the shootout, Can Uzun and former Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi both converted for Frankfurt, but Doan blasted his attempt well over the bar.

Chaibi needed to convert Frankfurt's fourth kick to keep his side in with a chance, but blasted the ball straight at Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.

The game was a rematch of the 2017 German Cup final, won 2-1 by Dortmund, with current Borussia coach Niko Kovac then in the Frankfurt dugout.

Elsewhere, Hertha Berlin beat Elversberg 3-0 in the German capital, Hamburg won 1-0 at Heidenheim and second-division Holstein Kiel beat hosts Wolfsburg 1-0.

Later on Tuesday, two-time winners RB Leipzig play at third-flight Energie Cottbus.

On Wednesday, 20-time winners Bayern Munich travel to Cologne while holders Stuttgart play at Mainz.

Bayer Leverkusen eased past visitors Freiburg 2-0 with goals from Ernest Poku and Edmond Tapsoba on Sunday to stretch their winning run in the Bundesliga only five days after their midweek Champions League debacle.

The 2024 German champions bounced back from Tuesday's 7-2 home loss to Paris St Germain in the Champions League, to earn their fourth straight league win and confirm their upward trend under coach Kasper Hjulmand, who took over following the sacking of Erik ten Hag after just two matchdays.

They moved up to fourth place in the standings on 17 points, level with third-placed Borussia Dortmund and two points behind RB Leipzig in second.

Bayern Munich lead the title race on a maximum 24 points following Saturday's 3-0 win at Borussia Moenchengladbach.

Dutch youth international Poku fired the hosts into the lead with a superbly curled low shot in the 22nd minute before Tapsoba doubled it seven minutes after the restart, heading in from an Alex Grimaldo cross.

With Leverkusen, who travel to Bayern next week, in complete control, Poku should have added a third goal three minutes later but he was beaten in a one-on-one by Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atubolu before Arthur sent the rebound wide.

Freiburg, who dropped to 11th place, were left with 10 men when Philipp Lienhart was dismissed with a second booking in the 74th minute, but despite overwhelming possession, Leverkusen could not add to their tally.

Bayern Munich scored three goals in the last half hour to win 3-0 at a 10-man Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday, staying five points clear at the top of the table.

Joshua Kimmich, Raphael Guerreiro and teenager Lennart Karl all got on the scoresheet as Bayern made it 13 wins from 13 games in all competitions this season.

It was only the second time this season Harry Kane, who had a goal chalked off for offside in the second half, failed to score.

Gladbach's Jens Castrop sunk his studs into Luis Diaz's shin with 19 minutes gone and was sent off when his yellow card was upgraded to red after a VAR review.

Despite the one-man advantage, Bayern – who made six changes including Jonas Urbig replacing captain Manuel Neuer in goal – lacked fluidity against their last-placed opponents.

Kimmich put the visitors ahead after 64 minutes, blasting through a crowded penalty box and Guerreiro added another five minutes later, sweeping in to finish off a lovely team move.

Gladbach's hopes of getting something out of the match were dashed further when Kevin Stoeger hit a penalty at the post with 15 minutes left.

With nine minutes remaining, 17-year-old Karl produced a stunning curling strike to wrap up the match for the defending champions.

RB Leipzig romped to a 6-0 win at Augsburg with six different goalscorers, tightening their grip on second spot, four points ahead of third-placed Stuttgart.

Yan Diomande, Romulo, Antonio Nusa, Christoph Baumgartner, Assan Ouedraogo and Castello Lukeba all netted as Leipzig inflicted Augsburg's worst home defeat in league history.

Since losing 6-0 to Bayern in the season opener, Leipzig have claimed 19 of a possible 21 points in seven games, conceding just three goals.

Eintracht Frankfurt bounced back from Wednesday's 5-1 Champions League thumping by Liverpool to beat St Pauli 2-0 at home thanks to a double from Jonathan Burkardt.

Germany striker Burkardt, who also scored a double last week against Freiburg, has six goals in seven league games this season.

Elsewhere, Wolfsburg won their first match since August with a 1-0 victory at Hamburg, with Adam Daghim scoring the only goal.

Hamburg winger Ransford-Yeboah Koenigsdoerffer missed a first-half penalty, the third time in a row he has failed to convert from the spot.

Hoffenheim beat lowly Heidenheim 3-1.

In Saturday's late game, Borussia Dortmund can jump up to third with a win at home against Cologne.

Just seven rounds into the Bundesliga season, a Harry Kane-powered Bayern Munich are already threatening to pull away from the chasing pack.

Ahead of Saturday's trip to historic rivals Borussia Moenchengladbach, Bayern are five points clear of second-placed RB Leipzig.

The defending Bundesliga champions have won 12 from 12 in all competitions. They are the only team in Europe's top five leagues yet to drop a point.

Central to Bayern's barnstorming opening has been England captain Kane.

The 32-year-old has 20 goals in those 12 Bayern victories. He has chalked up 12 goals and three assists in seven Bundesliga games.

But Kane's contribution this season has gone far beyond getting his name on the scoresheet.

Nowhere has Kane's all-round contribution been clearer than in last Saturday's 2-1 home win over Borussia Dortmund.

Named in the number 10 role behind striker Nicolas Jackson, Kane was everywhere, dropping back to defend and pinging passes from deep to Bayern's lightning-quick wingers Michael Olise and Luis Diaz.

But the additional creative burden clearly did not blunt Kane's effectiveness in front of goal.

On Saturday, Kane produced a textbook centre-forward's finish to open the scoring for Bayern, leaping high to head in a corner with 21 minutes gone.

Tipped by some to return to England, Kane, however, indicated he was likely to stick around longer in Germany, particularly after coach Vincent Kompany extended his deal until 2029 this week.

"Conversations will be had," Kane said after Bayern beat Club Brugge 4-0 on Wednesday in the Champions League.

"Not next month, but maybe in the new year. We're in a great position. I feel good.

"Kompany is a big part of the club and a key part of why I enjoy being here so much. The extension is great news."

Worryingly for Bayern's rivals, they look set to get better.

On Thursday, Jamal Musiala trained for the first time since breaking his ankle at the Club World Cup in July.

Initially expected back in 2026, sporting director Max Eberl said Musiala could return before Christmas.

The 22-year-old creative midfielder told reporters: "It was great to be back on the pitch. It felt great. My foot felt good."

Bayern's incredible form means there is no need to rush Musiala back. Likewise with Alphonso Davies, who is working his way back from an ACL tear.

"It's always just step by step, you don't want to do anything too quickly," Musiala said.

"When I come back, I want to be at 100 per cent and at a good level. That's why we're taking our time."

Elsewhere on matchday eight, second-placed RB Leipzig travel to mid-table Augsburg, while Dortmund take on the impressive Cologne.

One to watch: Fabio Silva (Borussia Dortmund)

Known to Premier League fans for a disappointing stint at Wolves, Borussia Dortmund striker Fabio Silva is quietly showing the talent which once had him pinned as a rising star.

Silva, 23, impressed after coming on against Bayern Munich on Saturday and scored his first Dortmund goal in Tuesday's 4-2 Champions League victory at Copenhagen.

With first-choice striker Serhou Guirassy nursing a thigh complaint, Silva could be in line for his first Dortmund start on Saturday at home against Cologne.

Dortmund coach Niko Kovac said as much on Tuesday, telling reporters: "Fabio is playing more and more. I'm trying to give him more and more minutes because he deserves them."

Vincent Kompany has extended his contract as coach of Bayern Munich by two years until 2029, the Bundesliga champions announced on Tuesday.

Not Bayern's first choice when he was appointed in the summer of 2024, Belgian Kompany reclaimed the German title for the Bavarians from Bayer Leverkusen in his debut season at the club.

This term, the 39-year-old has Bayern flying with 11 wins in 11 games, sitting atop the Champions League and Bundesliga tables.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐎𝐒𝐒 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐘𝐒 ‼️

Coach Vincent Kompany extends his contract with FC Bayern München until 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟵 ✍️

🔗 https://t.co/sKo7StzR1T pic.twitter.com/1tBWwIzpcT

— FC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) October 21, 2025

"It feels like I've been here a lot longer and that I know the club well," former Manchester City captain Kompany said in a statement.

"It's been a great experience so far. We've started on a wonderful journey. Let's keep working hard and celebrate much more success!"

Eintracht Frankfurt were pegged back by a clever 87th-minute Vincenzo Grifo free-kick in a 2-2 draw at Freiburg on Sunday, days out from their Champions League clash against Liverpool.

On Wednesday, Frankfurt will welcome back striker Hugo Ekitike, who made a big-money move to Anfield in the summer -- for a reported £69 million.

The 2022 Europa League winners will be playing in the Champions League for just the second time.

But this draw again highlighted Frankfurt's inconsistency this season.

Freiburg went ahead after just two minutes thanks to Derry Scherhant but Jonathan Burkardt scored twice before halftime to put Frankfurt in control.

With the clock winding down, set piece specialist Grifo caught Frankfurt goalkeeper Kaua Santos napping, curling his free kick around the wall and in at the near post.

The Eagles have scored more goals than everyone except league leaders Bayern but have conceded the most in the Bundesliga this campaign.

Frankfurt had conceded 16 goals in their past four matches and the visitors may have feared another long afternoon when Freiburg's Scherhant put the hosts in front two minutes in.

Frankfurt found their feet after a quarter of an hour, however, and Burkardt had them level shortly afterwards, his shot finding the bottom right corner from a fortunate deflection.

Turkish teenager Can Uzun was a creative menace in attacking midfield and helped Frankfurt take the lead before halftime.

He won the ball near the Freiburg goal and fed Fares Chaibi, who laid it off for Burkhardt to score his seventh goal in nine matches in all competitions since moving to Frankfurt in the summer.

The visitors tried to maintain control of the match after the break, bringing on World Cup winner Mario Goetze midway through the second half to see out the result.

But Freiburg had other ideas and Italy midfielder Grifo snatched a share of the spoils.

Ein Punkt geht mit nach Frankfurt.
–––––
⏹️ 90. | #SCFSGE 2:2 | #SGE pic.twitter.com/liaXwl2ajb

— Eintracht Frankfurt (@Eintracht) October 19, 2025

Forward Harry Kane scored once and helped set up another as champions Bayern Munich battled past Borussia Dortmund 2-1 in the Bundesliga's Klassiker on Saturday to maintain their perfect start to the season with their seventh straight win.

The Bavarians, who host Club Brugge in the Champions League on Wednesday, had to survive considerable second-half pressure from the visitors before making sure of their 11th win in 11 matches across all competitions this season.

They lead the Bundesliga race with 21 points, five ahead of second-placed RB Leipzig. Dortmund, who suffered their first loss in 10 matches across all competitions, dropped to fourth on 14.

Kane gave the hosts a deserved lead when he scored his 12th league goal in seven matches with a glancing header from a Joshua Kimmich corner in the 22nd minute.

Goal - KANE 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
Assist - KIMMICH 🇩🇪

🔴⚪ #FCBBVB ⚫🟡 | 1:0 | 22' pic.twitter.com/KyPch7D5NW

— FC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) October 18, 2025

Dortmund, who travel to FC Copenhagen on Tuesday in the Champions League, were nowhere to be seen in the first half but tried to bounce back after the break, going close through Felix Nmecha before Karim Adeyemi fired over the bar from close range in the 67th.

England captain Kane, who scored twice in his country's 5-0 win over Latvia on Tuesday that secured their ticket to next year's World Cup, then sent a stunning 60-metre pass for Luis Diaz who cut into the Dortmund box for Olise to finish the move in the 79th minute.

Big game player. pic.twitter.com/V6AkdTPyn3

— FC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) October 18, 2025

The visitors pulled a goal back through Julian Brandt's tap-in five minutes later and piled on the pressure to inject late drama into the game.

Alex Grimaldo scored twice as Bayer Leverkusen won 4-3 at Mainz on Saturday in the Bundesliga, extending their unbeaten streak to eight games as they prepare for a European clash with reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain.

The win sent Leverkusen to fifth in the table, level on points with fourth-placed Borussia Dortmund, who play league leaders Bayern Munich in Saturday's final game.

Martin Terrier's strike three minutes from time had put Leverkusen 4-2 up but Mainz's Armindo Sieb scored shortly afterwards to set up a nervy ending.

Another quiet one...#M05B04 pic.twitter.com/MeIeH4x1nA

— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) October 18, 2025

Leverkusen, who have dropped seven points this season despite scoring first in each of their seven matches, eventually hung on to win a match they had dominated.

Grimaldo's spot-kick put Leverkusen in front on 11 minutes and Christian Kofane doubled the visitors' lead midway through the first half, finishing off a clever team move with a low shot into the bottom right corner.

Leverkusen gave away an easy goal on the 34th-minute mark when Loic Bade's clearance hit his own player, allowing Lee Jae-sung to score.

Just before half-time, Leverkusen pressed Mainz into an error and Jonas Hofmann, who won the penalty, found Grimaldo in the box for a tap-in.

Spain defender Grimaldo now has six goals and two assists in 10 games in all competitions this season.

You're why we do it 🤩#M05B04 pic.twitter.com/R86WGlmltN

— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) October 18, 2025

RB Leipzig won 2-1 at home against promoted Hamburg, with Christoph Baumgartner scoring goals for the hosts either side of a strike from Albert Sambi Lokonga.

Leipzig were thumped 6-0 in their season opener at Bayern but have now won five and drawn one to sit in second spot, two points behind the Bavarians.

Leipzig are without European football this season for the first time since their debut promotion in 2016.

Elsewhere, Stuttgart won 3-0 at Wolfsburg to climb to third, with former Wolf Tiago Tomas and Germany duo Maximilian Mittelstaedt and Angelo stiller also grabbing goals.

Cologne continued their strong form since returning to the top flight, drawing 1-1 with Augsburg at home, while Werder Bremen gave up the lead twice to draw 2-2 at Heidenheim.

Vincent Kompany lauded striker Harry Kane's "hunger" as his Bayern Munich side prepare to host Borussia Dortmund on Saturday in a clash between the league's two unbeaten teams.

Bundesliga leaders Bayern have won 10 from 10 in all competitions, scoring 38 goals and conceding just eight.

The centrepiece is Kane who is arguably in his career-best form.

The 32-year-old, who scored a brace in Tuesday's 5-0 thumping of Latvia on England duty, has 18 goals and three assists in those 10 matches for Bayern.

Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said Friday Kane's long trophy drought, that he finally broke with last year's Bundesliga title, pushed the England captain to get even better.

"Maybe it helped that he didn't win a title for a long time, so he kept up that hunger," Kompany told reporters.

"He knows what his role in our team can be and where he fits in with his teammates."

While Bayern have barnstormed their way to the top of the Bundesliga, Dortmund are quietly putting together a strong opening of their own.

They are unbeaten in nine games in all competitions and sit four points behind Bayern in second.

Dortmund manager Niko Kovac, a double winner at Bayern before getting the sack half a year later, said his side must be brave in Munich.

"It'll be difficult if we play too cautiously," Kovac said. "Just defending won't work. We respect each other but we need to take the initiative.

"If we play like we did last year in Munich, we'll have a good chance, but we need to be brave.

"We do see what kind of form Bayern are on. It's unusual for a team to perform so well."

 

🗣️ 𝗞𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀 💬

“All the players have returned from international duty healthy. Rafa took a knock against Frankfurt and will train today. Then we'll see if he can be included. Josip Stanisic is still out.” pic.twitter.com/RPTQV5bwLu

— FC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) October 17, 2025

 

In the match nicknamed 'Der Klassiker' in a bid to echo LaLiga's El Clasico, the fixture has tended to mark the end of Dortmund's title ambitions.

Dortmund have lost eight of their past 10 matches against Bayern in Munich.

But Dortmund are on their best run versus the Bavarians since Jurgen Klopp's tenure.

Dortmund have won one and drawn two of their past three games against Bayern, including a 2-0 win at the Allianz Arena in 2024.

Now running the show at Red Bull, parent company of rivals RB Leipzig, Klopp himself will not be tuning in.

Speaking from the Spanish island of Mallorca, where he spends much of his time, former Liverpool manager Klopp told Germany's RTL on Thursday he would "probably not have time" to watch.

"If I didn't have to work, I'd definitely watch the game."

One to watch: Loic Bade (Bayer Leverkusen)

After a tumultuous summer rebuild with around a dozen new arrivals, France centre-back Loic Bade has quickly established himself at the heart of Bayer Leverkusen's defence.

Bade, 25, who arrived from Sevilla in August, is an assured presence in central defence, showing composure and control in a team in transition.

Praising his "amazing" performances on the pitch, Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes told AFP on Thursday "it's very important as well how he acts off the pitch.

"He's a connector in the locker room language-wise, but also in terms of personality and culture.

"Loic has personality – and you can feel that."

 

Harry Kane moves into the top 5 🙌🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿#WCQ pic.twitter.com/Wt9SZr64YK

— Uefa EURO (@UEFAEURO) October 15, 2025

 

Key stats

10 - Dortmund's 2-0 win over Bayern in 2024 was their first in the league in Munich in 10 years dating back to a 3-0 win in 2014.

11 - Harry Kane has 11 goals in six Bundesliga games this season.

1 - Dortmund striker Serhou Guirassy, who on Thursday was cleared to play, has only failed to score or assist in one of his eight matches this season. He has six goals and three assists.

Fixtures (1330 GMT unless stated)

Friday

Union Berlin v Borussia Moenchengladbach (1830)

Saturday

Mainz v Bayer Leverkusen, RB Leipzig v Hamburg, Cologne v Augsburg, Heidenheim v Werder Bremen, Wolfsburg v Stuttgart, Bayern Munich v Borussia Dortmund (1630)

Sunday

Freiburg v Eintracht Frankfurt, St Pauli v Hoffenheim (1530)

League leaders Bayern Munich host second-placed Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, with both sides unbeaten after opening the season in top form.

Bayern have won 10 from 10 in all competitions, scoring 36 goals and conceding seven.

Star striker Harry Kane is on arguably his career-best form.

The 32-year-old, who scored a brace in Tuesday's 5-0 thumping of Latvia on England duty, has 18 goals and three assists in those 10 matches for Bayern.

While Bayern have barnstormed their way to the top of the Bundesliga and Champions League tables, Dortmund are quietly putting together a strong opening of their own.

Dortmund are unbeaten in nine games in all competitions and sit four points behind Bayern in second.

A double winner at Bayern before getting the sack half a year later, Niko Kovac, now Dortmund manager, said his side must be brave in Munich.

"It'll be difficult if we play too cautiously," Kovac said Thursday. "Just defending won't work. We respect each other but we need to take the initiative.

"If we play like we did last year in Munich, we'll have a good chance, but we need to be brave.

"We do see what kind of form Bayern are on. It's unusual for a team to perform so well."

In the match nicknamed 'Der Klassiker' in a bid to echo LaLiga's El Clasico, the fixture has tended to mark the end of Dortmund's title ambitions.

Dortmund have lost eight of their past 10 matches against Bayern in Munich.

But Dortmund are on their best run versus the Bavarians since Jurgen Klopp's tenure.

Dortmund have won one and drawn two of their past three games against Bayern, including a 2-0 win at the Allianz Arena in 2024.

Now running the show at Red Bull, parent company of rivals RB Leipzig, Klopp himself will not be tuning in.

Speaking from the Spanish island of Mallorca, where he spends much of his time, former Liverpool manager Klopp told Germany's RTL on Thursday he would "probably not have time" to watch.

"If I didn't have to work, I'd definitely watch the game."

One to watch: Loic Bade (Bayer Leverkusen)

After a tumultuous summer rebuild with around a dozen new arrivals, France centre-back Loic Bade has quickly established himself at the heart of Bayer Leverkusen's defence.

Bade, 25, is an assured presence in central defence, showing composure and control in a team in transition.

Praising his "amazing" performances on the pitch, Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes told AFP on Thursday "it's very important as well how he acts off the pitch.

"He's a connector in the locker room language-wise, but also in terms of personality and culture.

"Loic has personality – and you can feel that."

Key stats

10 - Dortmund's 2-0 win over Bayern in 2024 was their first in the league in Munich in 10 years dating back to a 3-0 win in 2014.

11 - Harry Kane has 11 goals in six Bundesliga games this season.

1 - Dortmund striker Serhou Guirassy, who on Thursday was cleared to play, has only failed to score or assist in one of his eight matches this season. He has six goals and three assists.

Fixtures (1330 GMT unless stated)

Friday

Union Berlin v Borussia Moenchengladbach (1830)

Saturday

Mainz v Bayer Leverkusen, RB Leipzig v Hamburg, Cologne v Augsburg, Heidenheim v Werder Bremen, Wolfsburg v Stuttgart, Bayern Munich v Borussia Dortmund (1630)

Sunday

Freiburg v Eintracht Frankfurt, St Pauli v Hoffenheim (1530)

Old rivals Bayern and Dortmund in top form for 'Klassiker' clash

 

Bayer Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes said on Thursday that it was clear from early on that the club were going in the "wrong direction" under former coach Erik Ten Hag.

Ex-Manchester United boss Ten Hag was sacked last month after just two Bundesliga matches – the shortest managerial stint before a firing in the league's history.

Speaking with AFP and other media, Rolfes insisted that the "hard" decision to sack the Dutchman was the right call.

"If you have the feeling that you're going in the wrong direction, you shouldn't wait until you get there," he said.

"If it's not a good fit, it's better to split."

Sacked by Manchester United in October 2024, Ten Hag signed a contract with Leverkusen until 2027 in May as the successor to Xabi Alonso, who moved to Real Madrid.

Rolfes revealed that he spoke on the telephone with Alonso as Ten Hag's stint was unravelling.

Leverkusen were thumped 5-1 by Flamengo's under-20s in a pre-season friendly in Brazil in Ten Hag's opening game in charge.

"Let's say it this way, it was not good," Rolfes said of the surprise loss.

Ten Hag's two league matches in charge were a home defeat to Hoffenheim and a 3-3 draw against 10-man Werder Bremen, despite having led 3-1 with a numerical advantage.

"You need a bit of time to adapt, but the feeling was we were not making the steps in the best way. And it was not getting better fast.

"You need the head coach and the coaching staff to give stability to the players and we didn't feel this."

Rolfes said the club wanted "to be fast with this decision", adding that "most of the time you wait too long, waiting for bad results".

Since Ten Hag left, the club have been unbeaten, with three wins and three draws in all competitions, while they have climbed up to fifth in the Bundesliga.

'DOMINANT' WIRTZ TO COME GOOD

The 43-year-old Rolfes also backed former Leverkusen midfielder Florian Wirtz to overcome his teething problems at Liverpool, saying it was the "right decision" for him to move on from the Bundesliga.

Wirtz has no goals and no assists in nine Premier League and Champions League games since signing for the Reds for an initial £100 million that could rise to £116 million.

Rolfes, who brought the Germany midfielder to the club in 2020, said that criticism was "part of the game", but pointed to data which showed that Wirtz had "created the most chances in the Premier League" since his move.

Rolfes said that Wirtz's problems were linked to those of Liverpool.

"Florian is a team player. And at the moment, they're in the process of creating a team," Rolfes said.

"When the team is playing more like a team and everyone has his role, Florian's quality will rise.

"There's no doubt he will make it and become a really dominant football player."