Thomas Müller (l.), Yoshinori Muto (bottom r.) and Luca Caldirola (top) all played big roles in their teams' successes on Matchday 3 - © © DFL DEUTSCHE FUSSBALL LIGA
Thomas Müller (l.), Yoshinori Muto (bottom r.) and Luca Caldirola (top) all played big roles in their teams' successes on Matchday 3 - © © DFL DEUTSCHE FUSSBALL LIGA

Ten things you need to know about Bundesliga Matchday 3

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Cologne - Faces old and new stepped up to the plate on another thrilling round of fixtures on Bundesliga Matchday 3.

bundesliga.com has collated the weekend's ten major talking points...

- © imago / Jan Huebner

3) Ominous form from the champions

Staying with Bayern, let’s not forgot Pep Guardiola’s men lined up for Saturday’s top-of-the-table encounter without a single recognised centre-back in the matchday squad. Did it make the slightest bit of difference? Not at all! The record German champions' makeshift back line provided a solid foundation for the dismantling of one of the Bundesliga’s most feared attacking ensembles.

- © gettyimages / Bongarts

5) Billy Goats kicking off

1. FC Köln were up there with the very best last season when it came to protecting their own goal, but they left a lot to be desired in front of it at the other end. Now, though, the Billy Goats' apparent foibles in the final third - only Hamburger SV and relegated SC Paderborn 07 scored fewer goals in 2014/15 - appear to be a thing of the past thanks to red-hot trio Simon Zoller, Anthony Modeste and Philipp Hosiner. The latter two were on target in Saturday’s come-from-behind victory over HSV, taking Köln’s tally for the campaign to six goals in three outings and ensuring the North Rhine-Westphalian club remain unbeaten at the RheinEnergieStadion in 2015.

- © imago / Eibner

8) Fortress Böllenfalltor

SV Darmstadt 98 are yet to win since gaining promotion to the Bundesliga, but they haven’t lost either, drawing all three of their to-flight encounters thus far in 2015/16. Two of those fixtures, including Saturday’s battling goalless draw with TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, have been played on home soil at the inimitable Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor, where the Lilies are now unbeaten in 14 matches. What is it they say? Home form can make or break a promoted club’s season…

- © imago / Hübner

10 ) Draw specialists

Three games into the new season and promoted side Darmstadt 98 remain unbeaten. Their 0-0 draw with TSG 1899 Hoffenheim was the third successive time the Lilies have shared the points this term. That is perhaps unsurprising given their form in 2014/15, when they drew 14 matches in the Bundesliga 2. On Saturday defender Luca Caldirola secured them a point with a dramatic goal-line clearance in the last minute.

- © imago / Jan Huebner
- © gettyimages / Bongarts