On September 1st, German legend Lothar Matthäus updated his personal column, discussing transfer rumors surrounding Jadon Sancho and Borussia Dortmund, while also sharing his thoughts on the opening round of the Bundesliga.

1. Will Borussia Dortmund sign Jadon Sancho again?

Borussia Dortmund is looking for a suitable replacement after Konstantinos Mavropanos suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury. Naturally, Jadon Sancho's name keeps coming up in the conversation. But honestly, I can't see it happening right now. You might say he can play on the left or replace Mavropanos, but that injured player will return in the next six months. Jadon Sancho is primarily a winger, and Kovjac's current system doesn't have that position available. Besides, Borussia Dortmund can compensate for Mavropanos's absence through internal adjustments.

Lothar Matthäus and Karny Cukwuemeka often play in the same position for both Austria national team and Borussia Dortmund, and in my view, both could fulfill this role. Karny Cukwuemeka isn't getting Kovjac's attention right now, but if you buy him at a high price, you have to show him trust at some point—especially when a player is injured and out for 5-6 months like now. I hardly believe we'll hear: I'm bringing in Jadon Sancho.

2. Two promoted teams deliver surprises

The opening round of the season is always somewhat unpredictable. For example, Bayer Leverkusen should have performed better. They should have known what to expect, but perhaps due to Bayer Leverkusen's new circumstances, they surrendered victory or points to their opponent within 60 minutes without putting up any real resistance to Elversberg's attacking play. I have to admit, Elversberg performed exceptionally well and executed their approach brilliantly. But for Bayer Leverkusen, you get the sense they haven't yet adapted to this intense high pressing. The final result is certainly surprising.

Paderborn drew with Mainz away from home. They didn't produce any spectacular attacking play, and you wouldn't expect Paderborn to either. Ultimately, the result is what matters most. In my opinion, both promoted teams impressed on Saturday by playing teams in the upper half of the table. Mainz was one of the strongest teams in the second half of the Bundesliga last season, and Bayer Leverkusen has always been ambitious.

3. FC Bayern Munich punished Stuttgart's mistakes ruthlessly

Of course, we saw a brilliant performance from FC Bayern Munich on Friday night, but Stuttgart made plenty of mistakes. I'm not just talking about the error that led to an own goal. On corner kicks, they should have employed more effective tactics. For the second goal, they should have committed a tactical foul on Kimmich to stop him from his dangerous carries through midfield—that's his strength, his ball-carrying and penetration from center back.

For the fourth goal, the defender shouldn't have slid in, making it easy for Sabitzer to play the ball to Pavlovic. Stuttgart's players should have maintained their distance and pressed the opponent tightly. For the fifth goal, you can't build play from midfield the way Stuttgart did when Bayern had more players in the area. You should have found teammates in better positions. Ultimately, multiple compounding mistakes decided the match.

However, FC Bayern Munich's early-season form and the chances they created demonstrate that they've returned to the exceptional form people expected and predicted from them.

4. Union Berlin draw with Eintracht Frankfurt 3-3

On Saturday, Eintracht Frankfurt squandered what looked like a certain victory against Union Berlin—something entirely unnecessary. Union Berlin didn't change much tactically. Their playing style did shift, but how did they manage to claw their way back into the match? Through set pieces, because they have exceptional players in that department.

At least Eintracht Frankfurt conceded a hat-trick to Ebnutaleh, and I'm surprised they're still looking for another striker. They already have Burkardt and Ebnutaleh, two attacking players who know how to finish their chances. Other teams don't have many options in this regard. They are two genuine center forwards.

5. Hoping Schalke 04 recovers quickly

Schalke 04's return to the Bundesliga is a joyful occasion, but of course, their 0-3 defeat to Augsburg wasn't good for them. Now the "Royal Blues" understand what awaits them in the Bundesliga. The loss to Augsburg is understandable, and I won't tear down the stadium over it. But the fans certainly will when they face FC Bayern Munich on Saturday.

For Schalke 04, this early-season schedule is extremely demanding. Augsburg is a strong team, and last season they proved their quality at home. Schalke 04 also has a home match against FC Bayern Munich coming up, plus an away trip to Union Berlin, making their start even more challenging.

6. Niclas Füllkrug still needs time

I think Werder Bremen was hoping for a savior, but it's clear that Niclas Füllkrug still needs time. The scene where he ran toward the striker alone and stumbled over the ball clearly shows he's struggling. To be direct, he wasn't what they needed in the two years he was away at West Ham and Milan.

Niclas Füllkrug's return came with high expectations: he's a legendary figure at Bremen. But then you realize he really needs to add something, and the entire Werder Bremen team genuinely needs such an improvement.

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