AFP – Five months on from being on the wrong end of a 6-0 Bundesliga drubbing by Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig captain David Raum is confident his improving side can “hurt” the league leaders.
Ruthless Bayern sounded out an alarm to the competition in the season opener, with Harry Kane hitting a second-half hat-trick, Michael Olise bagging a brace and Luis Diaz scoring on his Bundesliga debut.
With half the season gone, record-breaking Bayern are unbeaten and are officially the best team in Bundesliga history at this point in a campaign.
After a summer rebuild, the first under ‘Global Head of Football’ Jurgen Klopp, coach Ole Werner and several new players made their Bundesliga debuts for Leipzig against Bayern.
Speaking to AFP on Thursday, Raum called Bayern “the best team in the world at the moment” but expected a “completely different game” this time around.
“They killed us,” Raum admitted, but said “we have some new players and we play completely differently to the start of the season.
“Now, the coach has a better feeling for us and how we play – and we have a better feeling of what he wants from us.”
A fixture in the Germany squad, Raum is close with several Bayern starters – something the defender wants to use to his advantage.
“After the first game, it was tough to come into the international camp. If you concede six – and for me it was my first match as captain – it’s not so nice.
“Of course it’s an extra motivation. I know them. I’m always hoping they play well, they stay healthy — this weekend I hope they don’t have their best day.”
The 27-year-old said no text messages had been exchanged about the match yet, but “maybe tomorrow I’ll start with the mind games.
“Hopefully after the game I can walk bravely into the locker room and talk to them because we grabbed the points.”
Bayern have lost only once this season in 27 matches, while Leipzig returned to winning ways with a 2-0 home victory over Freiburg on Wednesday to snap a two-game losing streak.
Elsewhere, second-placed Borussia Dortmund host St Pauli on Saturday while fourth-placed Stuttgart are at home to Union Berlin on Sunday.
Stuttgart forward Jamie Leweling has started 2026 in incredible form, helping the German Cup winners climb back into the top four.
Leweling has three goals and two assists in his past four games and is on the way towards locking up a spot in Julian Nagelsmann’s World Cup squad.
Stuttgart and Germany strike partner Deniz Undav praised Leweling after his two-goal performance in a 4-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday, saying “he’s physical, he’s fast, he’s actually got everything that a football player needs.”
Leweling was linked with a move to England in winter but wanted to stay in Stuttgart.
Undav, a former Brighton forward, said Leweling was “a perfect player for the Premier League. He’s got all the attributes and I hope he takes it to the next level.”
But not one to let his teammate get ahead of himself, Undav joked “if you knew how poorly he’s been shooting in the past few days, you wouldn’t believe it.”
Key stats
47 – Bayern’s points total of 47 at the half-way mark of the season equalled the record Bundesliga mark.
11 – Bayern are 11 points clear of second-placed Borussia Dortmund, the equal best record at the season’s halfway point.
65 – Halfway through the season, Bayern have 65 goals – the best tally in league history.
Fixtures (1430 GMT unless stated)
Friday
Werder Bremen v Eintracht Frankfurt (1930)
Saturday
Hoffenheim v Bayer Leverkusen, Cologne v Mainz, Hamburg v Borussia Moenchengladbach, Wolfsburg v Heidenheim, Borussia Dortmund v St Pauli, RB Leipzig v Bayern Munich (1730)
Sunday
Stuttgart v Union Berlin, Augsburg v Freiburg (1630)
