Bundesliga fixtures, schedule and everything you need to know ahead of the new season

The 2020-21 Bundesliga season is all set to begin on Friday, September 18 with defending champions Bayern Munich scheduled to host Schalke at the Allianz Arena for the first game of the campaign. The start of the 2020-21 Bundesliga season will also see the return of fans in the stadiums for the first time in German top-division football since the coronavirus pandemic. The Bundesliga schedule will run from September 18, 2020, to May 22, 2021. Here's a look at the Bundesliga fixtures for Matchday 1, the Bundesliga schedule and all you need to know about the 2020-21 campaign.

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Bundesliga schedule: Fans to be allowed in stadiums

Earlier this week, the DFL revealed that it would allow 20 per cent capacity of fans into the stadiums. However, there will be no away fans allowed inside stadiums, with the league also placing a ban on standing in the crowd and bringing alcohol to the games. If a seven-day infection rate in a home city crosses 35 per 100,000 people, the game will be played behind closed doors. With Arminia Bielefeld and Stuttgart earning promotion to the German top division, here's the 2020-21 Bundesliga schedule:

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Bundesliga fixtures on Matchday 1: Bayern vs Schalke to kickstart 2020-21 season

Hansi Flick's Bayern Munich will begin their Bundesliga title defence on Friday, September 18, hosting Schalke at the Allianz Arena with kick-off scheduled at 8:30 pm local time (Saturday, 12:00 am IST). The Bayern vs Schalke game will also see the return of fans at the Allianz Arena. Bayern, fresh off their Champions League success against PSG last month, are still tipped as the favourites to retain win the title for the ninth time in a row. Weston McKennie left Schalke for Juventus earlier this summer after the club finished in 12th place last season.

Bayern amassed a total of 82 points from their 34 league matches last season and have bolstered their squad with the arrival of Leroy Sane. The Germans will be hoping for their prolific goalscorer, Robert Lewandowski, to continue his incredible form into the new season. However, Ivan Perisic and Philippe Coutinho have returned to Inter Milan and Barcelona respectively, after completing their loan spells at Bavaria. Midfield gem Thiago Alcantara also bid his farewells after agreeing to join Liverpool.

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Bundesliga fixtures: Dortmund vs Borussia Monchengladbach

Lucien Favre's Dortmund will begin their 2020-21 Bundesliga campaign by hosting Borussia Monchengladbach at the Signal Iduna Park on Saturday, 6:30 pm (10:00 pm IST). Dortmund finished in second place on the Bundesliga table last season while Gladbach finished fourth. Dortmund will be hoping to keep hold of Jadon Sancho this summer despite the Englishman being linked with a move to Manchester United. 

Bundesliga preview: Key games and star departures

RB Leipzig finished last season in third place but failed to keep a hold of Timo Werner, who joined Chelsea this summer. Bayer Leverkusen finished last season in fifth place and also lost talisman Kai Havertz to Chelsea. Bayern and Dortmund will face each other on November 7 and March 6 respectively. Dortmund's clashes against Leipzig and Bayern's encounters versus Gladbach will be held in January and May. 

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Image Credits - Leroy Sane, Dortmund Instagram