The Bundesliga returns to the Veltins-Arena this Saturday as Schalke 04 takes on Bayern Munich in what promises to be a compelling clash. Schalke, having recently been promoted, began their season with a dramatic DFB-Pokal tie against Hallescher, where they secured a 5-2 victory after extra time, following a 2-2 draw in regulation. However, their first Bundesliga encounter of the season did not go as planned. The newly promoted side faced a harsh reality check with a 3-0 defeat against Augsburg, where they struggled to recover after a red card for Ron Schallenberg left them a man down.
In that match at the WWK Arena, Michael Gregoritsch opened the scoring for Augsburg, and the hosts capitalized on their numerical advantage to add two more goals late in the game. This loss has left Schalke's head coach Miron Muslić with significant concerns as they prepare for their first home game of the season against one of the league's giants.
Schalke's historical struggles against Bayern Munich add to the pressure of this matchup. The team has lost 12 competitive matches against the Bavarians, with their last victory against them dating back to March 2011, when they triumphed 1-0 in the DFB-Pokal semi-finals. The last time these two teams shared the points was in February 2017, highlighting Bayern's dominance in this fixture.
In terms of team news, Schalke will be without Schallenberg, who is serving a two-match suspension due to his red card. Midfielder Satoshi Tanaka is expected to step in for him. The hosts are also likely to miss several key players, including Tomas Kalas, Emil Højlund, Adrian Gantenbein, and Bryan Lasme. The availability of Kenan Karaman and new signing Hwang Hee-chan remains uncertain as the match approaches.
Bayern Munich, on the other hand, is riding high after a flawless start to the 2026-27 season. The Bavarians have claimed victories in three different competitions, including lifting the DFL-Supercup with a 2-1 win over Borussia Dortmund in their opening game. They then kicked off their Bundesliga title defense with a commanding 5-1 victory against Stuttgart, where they turned a 1-1 deadlock into a decisive win with contributions from Michael Olise, Aleksandar Pavlović, and Luis Díaz.
In their most recent outing, Bayern continued their strong form with a 4-0 triumph over Osnabrück in the DFB-Pokal, featuring a brace from Harry Kane and goals from Tom Bischof and Olise. With this momentum, Bayern will look to maintain their perfect record against Schalke, having won their last seven encounters without conceding a single goal. Their last visit to the Veltins-Arena ended in a 2-0 victory in November 2022, further solidifying their dominance in this fixture.
In terms of injuries, Bayern's Serge Gnabry is back in training but is not expected to feature this weekend. Meanwhile, Jamal Musiala has reportedly had a positive week of training, although it remains uncertain whether he will be included in the squad after his recent health issues.
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