Later Champions League opener forces Bayern to Thursday match against Bodø/Glimt

Alex Grimm/GettyImages After the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal kick‑off have already been completed and successful, FC Bayern Munich must play its first Champions League match only on Thursday – while the domestic leagues are already underway.

Domestic season has already started

The German top clubs have already completed the first matchdays of the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal kick‑offs. The start went well, so only the European Champions League remains. For record‑champion FC Bayern this means that the domestic fixtures are already underway, while the Champions League match is still pending.

UEFA exclusive week explains the unusual date

UEFA has set up an exclusive week in which the Europa League and Conference League pause and the Champions League takes priority. As a result, the league schedule for this week is spread over three instead of two days, so Bayern only plays on the last day, Thursday, against Norwegian club FK Bodø/Glimt. This Thursday match is a first for the German record champion.

More Thursday fixtures and return to the rhythm

Also only on Thursday will matches such as Fenerbahçe Istanbul vs AS Roma, PSV Eindhoven vs Shakhtar Donetsk, Slavia Prague vs RC Lens, Como vs RB Leipzig and Manchester United vs Sabah FK from Azerbaijan take place. After this exclusive week the fixtures revert to the usual Tuesday and Wednesday slots, as long as Bayern do not drop out of the Champions League.

The late Champions League appearance affects the weekly rhythm of the Munich side. Because of the Thursday fixture, the men coached by Vincent Kompany will only be able to travel for the Bundesliga away match against newly promoted SV Elversberg on Sunday evening.

Thus the season for Bayern remains a balancing act between the early Bundesliga phase and the later Champions League start, with the Thursday match against Bodø/Glimt being the only deviation from the usual Tuesday or Wednesday slot.