RB Leipzig are set for a high-stakes Bundesliga showdown this Saturday, aiming to exact revenge for a humiliating 6-0 defeat suffered at the hands of Bayern Munich in the season opener five months ago. Captain David Raum has boldly stated his team is now ready to "hurt" the league leaders, whom he labels "the best team in the world at the moment."
From Humiliation to Hope: Leipzig's Transformation
The memory of that opening day thrashing on 16 August 2025 still stings for Leipzig. Harry Kane netted a second-half hat-trick, supported by a brace from Michael Olise and a debut goal from Luis Diaz, in a ruthless display from Bayern. Raum admitted frankly, "They killed us," especially as it was his first match wearing the captain's armband.
However, the landscape has shifted. After a summer rebuild overseen by new 'Global Head of Football' Jurgen Klopp and coach Ole Werner, Raum believes Leipzig are a transformed unit. "We have some new players and we play completely differently to the start of the season," he explained in a press conference on Thursday. "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."
Bayern's Historic Dominance Meets Leipzig's Motivation
Standing in Leipzig's way is a Bayern Munich side in historically dominant form. At the halfway point of the season, Bayern are unbeaten with a record 47 points, equalling the best-ever mark. Their goal tally of 65 is also a league record, and they boast an 11-point cushion over second-placed Borussia Dortmund.
Raum, who is close friends with several Bayern starters from the German national team, sees this as extra motivation. "After the first game, it was tough to come into the international camp... Of course it’s an extra motivation. I know them. I’m always hoping they play well... this weekend I hope they don’t have their best day." He even hinted at starting "mind games" with his international teammates ahead of the 17:30 GMT kickoff.
One to Watch: Stuttgart's Jamie Leweling
Elsewhere in the Bundesliga, Stuttgart forward Jamie Leweling is making waves. His incredible start to 2026, with three goals and two assists in his past four games, has fired Stuttgart back into the top four. Strike partner Deniz Undav praised him as "physical, fast... actually got everything that a football player needs," and even tipped him as a "perfect player for the Premier League."
Key Bundesliga Stats:
- 47 – Bayern's record points total at the season's halfway mark.
- 11 – Their lead in points over Borussia Dortmund.
- 65 – Bayern's record goal tally after 17 matches.
Leipzig come into the match having snapped a two-game losing streak with a 2-0 win over Freiburg. Bayern, meanwhile, have lost just once in 27 matches across all competitions this season. Raum's final wish sums up the challenge: "Hopefully after the game I can walk bravely into the locker room and talk to them because we grabbed the points."
