Bundesliga Matchday 3 Preview, September 11-13
Bundesliga Matchday 3 could already provide a much clearer indication of which early-season surprises are built on something real. After two rounds, four teams have collected six points, including newcomers Elversberg, who first beat Bayer Leverkusen and then produced an incredible comeback against Borussia Monchengladbach. The headline fixture is Bayern Munich's trip to Elversberg. The champions dropped their first points of the season in Gelsenkirchen and now face one of the biggest surprise packages of the opening weeks. Augsburg vs Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund vs Paderborn, Hoffenheim vs Stuttgart and Freiburg vs Borussia Monchengladbach are also well worth watching. You can always turn to https://scores24.live/en/sportbooks-de for bonuses.
Union Berlin vs Schalke
Matchday 3 opens in Berlin, where Union host a Schalke side back in the Bundesliga. Both teams currently sit in the lower half of the table, which makes the stakes particularly high. Union began the season with an entertaining 3-3 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt before suffering a painful 4-0 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen. Schalke, after a heavy loss to Augsburg, unexpectedly managed to stop Bayern and held the reigning champions to a 0-0 draw. The Gelsenkirchen side will now try to carry that successful defensive approach into their trip to Berlin.
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Augsburg vs Bayer Leverkusen
Augsburg have been one of the biggest revelations of the opening two rounds. They won both matches and moved top of the table thanks to a goal difference of 7:1. Bayer, by contrast, opened the season with a surprising defeat to Elversberg but responded in Matchday 2 by thrashing Union Berlin. Leverkusen finally have their first win and now need to show that the setback against the newcomers was an isolated result. Augsburg are unlikely to sit back for the entire match, so Bayer will have to cope with a very proactive opponent.
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Mainz vs Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht began the season with a remarkable draw against Union Berlin but then unexpectedly lost to Augsburg in the second round. After two matches, Frankfurt have scored four goals and conceded seven. Mainz, meanwhile, are still unbeaten, so a home game against Eintracht gives them a good opportunity to extend that run. Both teams need a win, but Eintracht continue to raise plenty of questions defensively.
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Borussia Dortmund vs Paderborn
Borussia Dortmund are one of four teams to have won both opening matches. Their second victory was particularly impressive: Niko Kovac's side trailed Hoffenheim 2-0 before turning the game around in the second half to win 3-2. Dortmund now face Paderborn, who have collected only one point so far. The newcomers are clearly struggling to create chances. At home, Borussia should enjoy much more of the ball and control territory. The main question is whether Paderborn can withstand the pressure and avoid conceding early.
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Borussia Dortmund vs Paderborn
Hoffenheim vs Stuttgart
Another intriguing match takes place in Sinsheim. Hoffenheim are still without a point: after losing to Cologne, they were beaten at home by Dortmund. Stuttgart, by contrast, recovered quickly from their heavy defeat to Bayern. Sebastian Hoeness's side thrashed Cologne 4-1 in the second round and showed that the collapse in Munich was not a systemic problem. A potential third consecutive defeat, however, would make Hoffenheim's situation considerably more difficult.
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Freiburg vs Borussia Monchengladbach
Freiburg have also won both opening league matches and currently sit near the top of the table. Julian Schuster's side have won their first five matches of the new season in all competitions — remarkable efficiency. Borussia Monchengladbach are in the opposite situation. They have lost twice in the Bundesliga and already conceded seven goals. Freiburg look far more stable and will surely try to exploit the visitors' defensive problems.
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Freiburg vs Borussia Monchengladbach
Cologne vs Werder Bremen
Cologne had a poor second round, losing heavily to Stuttgart. Werder Bremen have also started inconsistently, although their 3-1 victory over RB Leipzig was one of Matchday 2's biggest surprises. That makes the game in Cologne look fairly evenly matched. Both teams have already shown they are capable of producing strong performances as well as serious off-days.
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RB Leipzig vs Hamburg
Leipzig followed an impressive win over Borussia Monchengladbach with a surprising defeat to Werder Bremen. Martin Demichelis's team are alternating strong spells with major drop-offs, and the third game should provide another indication of how quickly the new coach can stabilise results. Hamburg have also endured a difficult start after conceding five against Mainz. The trip to Leipzig therefore represents another serious test for the Dinosaurs. The hosts are clear favourites, especially given Hamburg's defensive problems.
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Elversberg vs Bayern Munich
The biggest match of Matchday 3 takes place on Sunday. Elversberg have been the genuine surprise of the early season, taking maximum points from their first two matches. Bayern, meanwhile, dropped points against Schalke and failed to score in a Bundesliga match for the first time in more than a year and a half. Facing Germany's strongest team will be the newcomers' biggest test of the season. There is another complication: their head coach may be absent. Vincent Wagner was sent off against Gladbach. The club has appealed the suspension, but it remains unclear whether he will be allowed to coach the surprise package from the touchline against Bayern. The champions will surely look to take control immediately and respond to the goalless draw with Schalke.
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Round Summary
Bundesliga Matchday 3 promises to be the first major test for the early-season surprise packages. Elversberg host Bayern after two remarkable wins, while Augsburg will try to hold on to top spot.
Borussia Dortmund are also worth following closely: Niko Kovac's side have a chance to begin the league season with three wins in a row. The third round should give us a much clearer picture of the teams' real strength — whether the opening shocks were merely accidents and how long the favourites will continue to stumble at the start of the campaign.
FAQ
When will Matchday 3 of the 2026/27 Bundesliga take place?
The matches of Bundesliga Matchday 3 will be played from September 11 to 13, 2026.
Which match is the highlight of Bundesliga Matchday 3 in the 2026/27 season?
The headline fixture is Elversberg vs Bayern Munich. The Bundesliga newcomers won both of their opening matches and are among the league leaders, while the reigning champions dropped points against Schalke.
Who leads the Bundesliga after two rounds?
Augsburg, Freiburg, Borussia Dortmund and Elversberg all have six points after two rounds. Augsburg lead the table thanks to the best goal difference.
Which teams are still without a point?
Hoffenheim, Borussia Monchengladbach and Hamburg remain without a point after two rounds.
