Bundesliga 2018-19: 10 things to know

Bayern have won the last six titles, 28 overall. The club has one of the biggest profiles in the world, and has the finances to support it. The annual turnover was nearly €600 million and the squad's market value is around €845 million. Those are just some of the numbers. Bayern are the benchmark.

Nuremberg's return to the Bundesliga after four years away. It's the clubs eighth promotion, an achievement no other side has managed. Fortuna Düsseldorf are also experts when it comes to going up. Their return to the Bundesliga was their sixth promotion into the big league. The real question is: can they stay there?

Bundesliga referees have long been using headsets, but now they're in use in the dugout. The assistant head coach and staff are allowed three headsets used for coaching or tactical instructions. Performance data should also be available during the game. Treatment of injured players should also be optimized.

The video assistant referee (VAR) was used last season, but with questionable levels of success. Too slow, too confusing — VAR has quite a few opponents. Now, everything should be better. The use of the technology at the World Cup in Russia was seen as exemplary. The most important change: The TV images and the decision will be shown on screens, so as to increase transparency.

Much of the fascination around the Bundesliga is symbolized by their high attendance numbers. The Dortmund Südtribune is the biggest standing stand in Europe, with 24,454 standing spots. It's always full. Bundesliga stadiums are attendance magnets. An average of 43,878 fans attended stadiums per game last season - a new record and the best in Europe, ahead of England (36,000) and Spain (27,000).

In the Bundesliga, they've still got the good old standing terraces. What used to be a must are all gone in England, Italy and Spain's top flight. In Germany though, cheap tickets and great atmosphere get the football nostalgic heart beating a little faster. Some visiting fans from around the world get lucky enough to experience that special feeling of being able to stand while watching the game.

The Bundesliga has something none of the other top leagues in Europe have: a female referee. After lots of games in the second and third division, Bibiana Steinhaus officiated Hertha Berlin against Werder Bremen on September 10, 2017. In doing so, she became the first woman to referee a Bundesliga game. The 39-year-old has been in charge of eight games to date.

In 2017, Bayern Munich purchased French midfielder Corentin Tolisso for €41.5 million. It was a Bundesliga record for a new Bundesliga signing. Tolisso's transfer fee was €1.5 million higher than teammate's Javi Martinez. The most expensive departure from the league was Dortmund's Ousmane Dembele, who joined Barcelona for over €100 million.

Unlike France or Spain, the Bundesliga has no restriction on non-EU players. Eintracht Frankfurt had one of the most multicultural squads in the league last year. When they faced Cologne on matchday five, they had 11 players from 11 different countries.

Many fans call their stadiums a temple. In Frankfurt, Berlin and Gelsenkirchen, that's not far from the truth; in all three stadiums there's a chapel. Schalke's stadium is the only in Europe's top leagues that has a roof that can close. "Indoor" football at the top level — only in the Bundesliga.