Two weeks into the Bundesliga and the fledging league table has a familiar look.
The champions are top and right on their heels are the perennial bridesmaids.
It is very early days but, with a respectful nod to RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen, it is hard to see Bayern Munich being dislodged from top spot or Borussia Dortmund being pushed away from the top four anytime soon.
After winning the German Super Cup in style and then hitting Europa League winner Eintracht Frankfurt for six in their opener, Bayern Munich settled for two against Wolfsburg on Sunday.
It was actually one of the teenage stars plying his trade in the German top flight who set them on their way as veteran Thomas Muller found Jamal Musiala and the 19 year-old got a lucky break off his marker and steered home the opener.
He now has 14 league goals in a Bayern shirt.
Just before the break, Alphonso Davies broke down the left and cut the ball back for Joshua Kimmich whose first-time shot appeared to be heading wide until the evergreen Muller stuck out a boot and diverted in the second.
Job done, game over.
If Bayern have young talent, so do Borussia Dortmund.
And if the Yellow and Blacks from the Rhine genuinely believe they can mount a title challenge this term, they will need every ounce of the character they displayed at Freiburg on Friday night.
Two teenagers, in fact, in the shape of Youssoufa Moukoko and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens.
The latter levelled up matters by firing a speculative long-range shot that slipped through the home keeper Mark Flekken’s fingers and into the net and the mood music quickly changed.
Bynoe-Gittens was involved again shortly afterwards when his mazy dribble dragged defenders out of position before slipping a pass into fellow substitute Julian Brandt, who flicked it to Moukoko to fire home.
A quick-fire turnaround was completed moments later when Marius Wolf scampered down the right wing, cut inside and drilled a shot inside the far post.
Leipzig are a team who excite me.
The Red Bulls have caught my eye, or more specifically the talents of the “Bundesliga Player of the Year” have, with rave reviews from my 10 year-old grandson!
The German Cup holders have Christopher Nkunku, in their ranks, a player whose breakout season saw him finish joint fourth in the goalscoring charts with 20 goals and 13 assists.
Now the France striker has been joined by the returning Timo Werner who never properly settled in English football.
After frustration at a poor scoring return at Chelsea, you can guess what happened as it took him just 36 minutes to score on his return to Germany!
After Florian Dietz equalised, Nkunku restored the home team’s advantage but Josko Gvardiol levelled again for the battling visitors 18 minutes from time as Cologne managed to take the gloss off the homecoming party.
For a team I tipped to be potential runners-up this term, it has been a poor start for Bayer Leverkusen with two defeats out of two.
An opening loss against rivals Dortmund is one thing but to lose at home to FC Augsburg, who finished 14th last term, was not in the script.
Andre Hahn’s winner seven minutes from time would have frustrated home coach Gerardo Seoane and sealed Augsburg’s first ever victory against Leverkusen, who have started the season with three straight defeats when you include elimination from the German Cup.
Leverkusen had never previously lost to Augsburg in 22 matches in what had been the longest remaining unbeaten head-to-head record in Bundesliga history.
Hahn’s goal was late but far from the latest of the weekend.
Just how important Marius Bulter’s 93rd minute penalty will be remains to be seen but, for Schalke, back in the top flight after a 12-month absence, it is a foundation to build on.
Rodrigo Zalazar’s 29th minute opener had the home fans in raptures until two goals in six minutes threatened to turn the game in favour of Borussia Monchengladach.
But, deep in stoppage time, Patrick Herrmann handled in his own area following a set piece and Bulter sent Yann Sommer the wrong way from the spot.
After an 11 year absence, Bochum are also back in the top flight and hoping to deliver Bundesliga highlights.
Yet they were left to rue conceding an 88th minute goal to Munas Dabbur which proved to be the winner for Hoffenheim.
There was a blistering start to the encounter with four goals traded in the opening 23 minutes.
Simon Zoller scored twice in three minutes to fire Bochum into an early two-goal lead before Christoph Baumgartner turned in a rebound and Ozan Kabak flicked in a header in quick succession.
As the Bundesliga betting odds fluctuated one way then the other, it was left to Dabbur to be granted too much time and space to rifle in the winner. It was a welcome win for the hosts who had gone 10 Bundesliga matches without a win, dating back to a 1-0 success over Cologne in early March.
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