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Bayern's David Alaba from Austria, center, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the German soccer cup second round match between Hamburger SV and FC Bayern Munich at the Imtech Arena Stadium in Hamburg, Germany, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2014. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)
Bayern's David Alaba from Austria, center, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the German soccer cup second round match between Hamburger SV and FC Bayern Munich at the Imtech Arena Stadium in Hamburg, Germany, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2014. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)Michael Sohn/Associated Press

Bayern Munich vs. Hamburg: Team News, Preview, Live Stream, TV Info

Clark WhitneyAug 13, 2015

The 2015-16 Bundesliga season kicks off on Friday, as Bayern Munich host Hamburg at the Allianz Arena. The record champions are looking to make it four consecutive domestic titles this season and can get out to an early lead if they manage to overcome their opponents from the north.

Bayern had a good warm-up for their first league clash of the season last week, winning their DFB-Pokal opener against fifth-division opponents Nottingen by a 3-1 margin, with the result settled in the first half.

Things went just the opposite for Hamburg in the Pokal, with Bruno Labbadia’s men falling behind twice to Carl Zeiss Jena only to equalize in each instance, with the second coming deep in stoppage time. The fourth-tier side came out on top in that fixture after nabbing a winner in the second half of extra time.

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After only managing to stay in the 1. Bundesliga after winning a relegation play-off in each of the last two seasons, Hamburg will be wary of the danger that could come with humiliation in each of the first two games of the season. But they face a true mountain to climb against Bayern, who have dominated the head-to-head matches between the clubs in recent years.

So comprehensive has Bayern’s dominance been that they have won nine of their last 11 games against Hamburg, scoring a combined 47 goals and conceding just seven.


Date: 
Friday, August 14

Time: 7:30 p.m. BST/2:30 p.m. EST/8:30 p.m. local time

Venue: Allianz Arena, Munich

TV Info: Fox Sports 2 (U.S. only), BT Sport Europe (UK only)

Live Stream: Not available (U.S. only), ESPN (via BT Sport Client, UK only)

Form Guide

BayernHamburg
Nottingen: WinCarl Zeiss Jena: Loss
Real Madrid: WinHellas Verona: Win
Milan: WinAalborg: Win
Wolfsburg: DrawHessen Kassel: Win
Guangzhou Evergrande: DrawArminia Bielefeld: Loss

Predicted Lineups

Pep Guardiola will be spoiled for choice in many positions, with Bayern having been bolstered by the return of Thiago Alcantara and Sebastian Rode to team training this week.

Javi Martinez, Franck Ribery, Holger Badstuber and Jan Kirchhoff will all miss the Hamburg match as they rehabilitate their respective injuries, while Sinan Kurt, Gianluca Gaudino and Julian Green are expected to play with the reserves this weekend.

Possible Bayern Munich starting XI: Neuer; Lahm, Benatia, Boateng, Alaba; Alonso, Vidal, Thiago; Robben, Lewandowski, Costa

Hamburg have a nearly fully fit squad available to take on Bayern. Jaroslav Drobny is still in rehabilitation and will miss the match, as will Petr Jiracek and Ashton Gotz. A few positions are unclear as of now, notably that of right forward, where either Ivica Olic or Nicolai Muller is most likely to play.

Possible Hamburg starting XI: Adler; Diekmeier, Djourou, Spahic, Ostrzolek; Ekdal, Jung, Holtby; Olic, Lasogga, Ilicevic

Players to Watch

With Thiago set to return to action, it will be interesting to see how he fits in with the likes of Arturo Vidal and Xabi Alonso or Philipp Lahm in midfield.

Elsewhere for Bayern, Arjen Robben will be one to watch, with the Dutchman likely to return to the starting lineup. How he interacts with Douglas Costa will tell a lot about how Bayern will play this season.

From Hamburg's perspective, Pierre-Michel Lasogga is always worth a look; the 23-year-old's finishing is top drawer, and if he gets a chance, he can be deadly.

The same goes for Ivica Olic, whose work rate has long been his claim to fame. He'll run his socks off, and could yet stun his former employers.

Key Battles

David Alaba vs. Ivica Olic

Whether at left-back or as the left central defender in a back three, David Alaba will likely be charged with the task of marking Ivica Olic. The Austrian is a more than qualified defender, but in Guardiola's system he will likely try to push his opponent back with the ball at his feet.

Olic, as he approaches his 36th birthday, remains a dangerous opponent and appears to have a starting role locked down as Hamburg's right forward. He scored a screamer for Wolfsburg against Bayern last August, and he will look to do the same on Friday. 

Thiago Alcantara vs. Lewis Holtby

Control of the midfield will be a key factor in Friday's game, and Thiago will play a big role in that regard. The Spaniard is a wizard in possession, his distribution at all depths of the pitch being simply superb. He's one to watch as he aims to unlock the HSV defense.

Holtby will be fully aware that Bayern will have the edge in terms of possession, but HSV can win the midfield battle if their tactical organization is more refined and they take their chances. The ex-Germany under-21 captain has had ups and downs in his career, but Friday's game could be a big boost to his career if he steps up to the challenge.

Odds (courtesy of Odds Shark)

Bayern: 2-25

Draw: 15-2

Hamburg: 20-1

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