After a long winter break, the Bundesliga finally returns on Friday night as Hamburg host Bayern Munich in a historic derby. The game, which kicks off at 20:30 CET, will be a highly anticipated and undoubtedly heated affair in a sold out Imtech Arena. Friday night will also mark Pep Guardiola’s first competitive game back since he announced that he would be leaving at the end of the season.
Bayern are clear favourites ahead of the fixture, flying high at the top of the Bundesliga with an eight point advantage over nearest competitors Dortmund. The Bavarians have won every competitive game since their first league defeat of the season to Borussia Mönchengladbach in early December, and will be keen to continue their domination, having recorded excellent results in all competitions from the start of the season.
Hamburg hindered
Hamburg, on the other hand, have had a tumultuous first half of the season. Despite some big wins this season over the likes of Dortmund and Gladbach, the 10th-placed northerners have also been on the end of some very poor results, such as home losses to Hannover and Augsburg.
The home team are injury-stricken and will have to go without Spahic and Olic, and may also miss striker Lasogga. Considering the fact that you have to go back to the 09/10 season to find HSV’s last wins against Bayern, this is not good news. Bayern have, however, been handed a boost in the form of David Alaba; the left-back has returned to the first team after missing out on the second half of the Hinrunde.
After a long winter break, the Bundesliga finally returns on Friday night as Hamburg host Bayern Munich in a historic derby. The game, which kicks off at 20:30 CET, will be a highly anticipated and undoubtedly heated affair in a sold out Imtech Arena. Friday night will also mark Pep Guardiola’s first competitive game back since he announced that he would be leaving at the end of the season.
Bayern are clear favourites ahead of the fixture, flying high at the top of the Bundesliga with an eight point advantage over nearest competitors Dortmund. The Bavarians have won every competitive game since their first league defeat of the season to Borussia Mönchengladbach in early December, and will be keen to continue their domination, having recorded excellent results in all competitions from the start of the season.
Hamburg hindered
Hamburg, on the other hand, have had a tumultuous first half of the season. Despite some big wins this season over the likes of Dortmund and Gladbach, the 10th-placed northerners have also been on the end of some very poor results, such as home losses to Hannover and Augsburg.
The home team are injury-stricken and will have to go without Spahic and Olic, and may also miss striker Lasogga. Considering the fact that you have to go back to the 09/10 season to find HSV’s last wins against Bayern, this is not good news. Bayern have, however, been handed a boost in the form of David Alaba; the left-back has returned to the first team after missing out on the second half of the Hinrunde.
