Werder Bremen v Bayern Munich: Bundesliga season opener – live

“Just like every Saturday morning at 10am (3pm your time), this afternoon I am once again grateful to live in the USA (no exclamation points),” writes Joe Pearson. “Nottingham Forest vs Sheffield United is available on my tv. As is Werder Bremen vs Bayern. If l wanted to swerve, I could even watch the Little League World Series. I’m taking it back. USA! USA!! USA!!!”

I bet you can’t watch the Hundred though, can you.

“Hi Rob,” says Ruth Purdue. “Please wax lyrically about that look that Kane has on that team sheet.”

I missed this. My word! I can’t decide whether he looks lascivious, constipated or both.

Andy Brassell’s preview

This kit though

Harry Kane starts, as does Bayern’s other big summer signing, the Korean defender Kim Min-jae. Benjamin Pavard, who looks set to join Internazionale, is on the bench.

Bremen’s team includes Niclas Fullkrug, the late bloomer who was joint top-scorer with Christopher Nkunku in last season’s Bundesliga. The Belgian midfielder Senne Lynen, signed from Union SG, makes his debut in midfield, and the Scotland international Oliver Burke is among the subs.

Werder Bremen (possible 3-1-4-2) Pavlenka; Pieper, Veljkovic, Friedl; Lynen; Weiser, Bittencourt, Stage, Jung; Fullkrug, Ducksch.
Substitutes: Zetterer, Gross, Schmid, Rapp, Gruev, Opitz, Kownacki, Njinmah, Burke.

Bayern Munich (4-2-3-1) Ulreich; Mazraoui, Kim, Upamecano, Davies; Kimmich, Goretzka; Sane, Musiala, Coman; Kane.
Substitutes: Hulsmann, De Ligt, Pavard, Choupo-Moting, Muller, Laimer, Gravenberch, Tel, Krutzig.

Hello and welcome to live, minute-by-minute coverage of Werder Bremen v Bayern Munich at the Weserstadion. The Guardian choosing to liveblog a Bundesliga game that isn’t Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund is usually bad news for global health, but there’s a more innocent reason for us covering tonight’s game: Nottm Forest v Sheff Utd isn’t on TV in the UK.

Oh, and – wait, come back – Harry Kane is making his league debut for Bayern Munich! It’s the first game of the new Bundesliga season, one that should end with Kane winning the first trophy of his career. Bayern, who couldn’t even give the title away last year, are aiming to become champions for the 12th consecutive season. As things stand, they are only four short of the world record.

Werder Bremen, tonight’s opponents, finished 13th last season. They’ve made some improvements since then, signing Naby Keita from Liverpool (although he’s injured and won’t play tonight) and launching one of European football’s better kits.

Bremen know they can beat Bayern, because they did it in 2008 – a spectacular 5-2 victory in Munich. Werder were Bayern’s bogey team for much of the 2000s. Since the start of the 2010s, their record in his fixture is, well, consistent: P29 W0 D2 L27 F20 A95.

Kick off 7.30pm BST, 8.30pm in Bremen.