The 2020/21 Bundesliga season kicked off with a bang this past weekend. There were 36 goals scored across the nine games played, with each contest delivering some sort of talking point for analysts to discuss going into next week.

Here are five takeaways from Matchweek 1:

Bayern Munich might be even better

Bayern Munich were the best team on the planet last season. They won the Bundesliga and DFB Pokal with ease, and ended the campaign in style by winning the UEFA Champions League, securing their second ever treble.

Now, what if I told you they might be even better this year?

Unfortunately for the rest of the continent, this may be the case. Munich ran riot against Schalke on Friday night, winning 8-0.

Summer signing Leroy Sane has almost instantly acclimated to life at the Allianz Arena, scoring on his debut while dishing out two assists as well. The rest of the front three also got involved, as Serge Gnaby grabbed a hat-trick while Robert Lewandowski had a goal and two assists.

Not every game will be this easy, of course, but under the leadership of manager Hansi Flick, there’s a genuine chance Munich can do the treble for a second straight season.  

Borussia Dortmund’s youngsters hit the ground running

However, Bayern might have a title fight on their hands, as Borussia Dortmund looked just as good this weekend, easily beating top four contenders Borussia Monchengladbach 3-0.

As always, BVB put their faith in their youth, and it worked. Erling Haaland made a strong start to his campaign, grabbing a brace on the afternoon. 17-year-old academy product Giovanni Reyna also got onto the scoresheet, with fellow teenager Jude Bellingham assisting his goal. Meanwhile, Englishman Jadon Sancho was at his brilliant best, getting an assist of his own on the counter attack.

The backline kept a clean sheet as well, so if Dortmund have shored up defensively, then they could seriously test their bitter rivals at the top of the table. Even if things don’t go to plan this season, the club knows the future is still incredibly bright at the Signal Iduna Park.

Hertha Berlin will be fun to watch

Lots of eyes were on the club from the capital, as viewers wanted to see if this new look Hertha Berlin team that seemed good on paper would perform out on the field.

It took some time, but Hertha would eventually put on an attacking masterclass, scoring four past a helpless Werder Bremen. Almost all of their forwards got in on the fun, as Dodi Lukebakio, Matheus Cunha, and the debuting Jhon Cordoba found the back of the net on Saturday afternoon.

Things were not as promising at the back, as Hertha could have given up a number of goals themselves. Bremen grabbed one, and could have had a few more if they were just more clinical.

The real tests are yet to come for Hertha, but if this weekend was any indication, then they’ll at least be an exciting team to watch this season. 

Hoffenheim impress under new management

Sebastian Hoeneß had a dream start to life as Hoffenheim manager, winning his first Bundesliga game with the club as they narrowly beat FC Koln 3-2.

After winning the third tier title with Bayern Munich’s reserve side, Hoeneß was hired by Hoffenheim after they sacked former coach Alfred Schreuder, who didn’t even last a full year at the PreZero Arena.

The pressure was on, and even though it was closer than he would have liked, Hoeneß and his team still managed to pick up all three points. Captain Andrej Kramarić led the way, scoring all three goals, with the last of them coming in stoppage time. He was more than deserving of the match ball at fulltime, further cementing himself as one of the league's most underrated players.

Hoffenheim fans will be very happy with the result, and will hope this win is just the first of many for their new manager. Unfortunately for Hoeneß and company, their next game is against Bayern Munich, which will be a true trial by fire.

Arminia Bielefeld are legit

Going into this season, many predicted that Arminia Bielefeld would be heading straight back down to the 2. Bundesliga at the end of the campaign. There were plenty of reasons why people thought this, to be fair, as the club has very little in terms of funding and top flight experience. 

Bielefeld might still get relegated at the end of the year, but this weekend showed that they won’t be going down without a fight.

They opened the scoring in their game against Eintracht Frankfurt, with Cebio Soukou finishing off a devastating counter attacking move. The lead may have only lasted ten minutes, but Bielefeld still managed to survive and secure a point on the road. This performance showed they’ll be really tough to play against, as they sat back and frustrated Frankfurt, who couldn’t do anything with their 62% possession.

Bielefeld will need many more performances like this if they want to stay up, but it seems like the team is up to the challenge.