The Bundesliga's later start to the season means Friday's kickoff between Bayern Munich and Stuttgart effectively sets the tone for the entire division's opening weekend — and Bayern will want to make an early statement.
Stuttgart have shown genuine quality in recent seasons and aren't the pushover their underdog status might suggest, but Bayern's squad depth at home in a season opener is historically close to a formality.
The more interesting question isn't whether Bayern win, but by how much — and whether this early performance offers any real signal about how competitive the rest of the division can be against them this season.
Bayern open at home as heavy favourites, as usual. The real question this season is how far ahead of the pack they actually are.