First home match for HSV
Hamburger SV host Leverkusen, Cottbus take on Bochum. bundesliga.de offers the latest information on Sunday's Bundesliga matches.
Hamburger SV have started the season well, keeping a clean sheet in all three competitive matches so far (DFB Cup, Bundesliga, UEFA Cup).
New pitch in Hamburg
It will be interesting to see whether captain Rafael van der Vaart will feature after missing out on the UEFA Cup match at Honved Budapest with a back injury.
The HSH Nordbank Arena too will be in a race against time - the old turf has been damaged in a Rolling Stones concert on Wednesday, and the new one is expected to be ready just three hours prior to kick-off.
No Bayer goal so far
Opponents Leverkusen have failed to get on the scoresheet so far this season, losing 1-0 at St. Pauli in the DFB Cup and sharing the points with Cottbus on the opening day, and are already under a bit of pressure.
"It's quite possible that there will changes in tactics and line-up", head coach Michael Skibbe confirmed. Former HSV hero Sergej Barbarez is fit again, but is expected to start on the bench.
Sander calls for patience
Energie Cottbus started the season well with the goalless draw in Leverkusen, but head coach Petrik Sander calls for patience.
"Bochum are an unpleasant opponent. I hope that no one in the stands believes that the match will be a walkover."
Koller expects pressure
VfL head coach Marcel Koller expects Energie to take a more attacking approach than in Leverkusen.
"I reckon they rate us among the teams they want to beat by all means."
Line-ups as expected:
Hamburger SV - Bayer Leverkusen
Hamburg: Rost - Demel, Kompany, Mathijsen, Atouba - Jarolim, de Jong - Castelen, Trochowski, Olic - Zidan.
Leverkusen: Adler - Castro, Friedrich, Haggui (Sinkiewicz), Gresko - Rolfes, Ramelow (Vidal) - Kießling, Schneider, Barnetta - Gekas.
Referee: Fandel
Energie Cottbus - VfL Bochum
Cottbus: Piplica - Angelow, Kukielka, Mitreski, Cvitanovic - Skela, Rost - Rivic, Sörensen, Aloneftis - Kioyo.
Bochum: Lastuvka - Concha, Maltritz, Yahia, Meichelbeck - Bechmann, Zdebel, Dabrowski, Grote - Epalle, Sestak.
Referee: Fleischer
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