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MUNICH: Once a Bundesliga highlight, Bayern Munich’s first home game against promoted Hamburg SV in seven years lacks the top billing of the past but still holds promise for lots of goals — at least for the home side.
Long before the six-time German champions were relegated to the second division for the first time in their history in 2018, Hamburg had become Bayern’s punching bag in Munich, conceding a total of 50 goals in their last eight trips to Allianz Arena.
The wave of exhilaration that accompanied Hamburg’s return to the top division has subsided after two Bundesliga games, with the former European champions drawing one and losing the other.
They have yet to score or create a single scoring chance in either of the two matches so far, according to Bundesliga statistics.
Losing the Hamburg derby to visitors St. Pauli just before the international break dampened spirits further but despite their rough return to the Bundesliga, coach Merlin Polzin said his team were looking forward to Saturday.
“We’re incredibly excited about this match,” he added. “It’s something very special. We are playing against one of the strongest teams in Europe. We have worked very hard to earn the chance to face Bayern in a competitive match.
“We’ll prepare well and head there with a clear idea of how we want to present ourselves.”
It is a totally different story for the champions.
Bayern equalled their club record with nine goals from their first two league games — both wins — with France international Michael Olize on a scoring run that now stretches to six consecutive league matches.
He has scored three goals already this season, as many as teammate Harry Kane, with the Bavarians sitting top of the table on goal difference ahead of Eintracht Frankfurt and Cologne.
The match is also special for Bayern coach Vincent Kompany, with the former defender having played for Hamburg between 2006-2008 prior to his hugely successful move to Manchester City.
Bayer Leverkusen will have new coach Kasper Hjulmand on the bench in Friday’s home game against Eintracht Frankfurt.
Last season’s runners-up hope the Dane has what it takes to turn things around following a rocky start and the dismissal of predecessor Erik ten Hag last week.
Eintracht are on six points while Leverkusen have just one point so far.
Borussia Dortmund, on four points, travel to Heidenheim on Saturday.

PARIS: Defending champion Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon are the only sides to have won all their games heading into the fourth round of matches in Ligue 1.
Not many observers would have expected Lyon to start this well, having avoided relegation to the second tier for financial irregularities after a successful appeal and being obliged to sell key players to balance the books.
Veteran striker Olivier Giroud’s Lille side is the only other unbeaten side so far. Lille used to be known more for its defending but has the most goals with 11.
Key matchups
A home game for Marseille against promoted Lorient would not usually stand out, but Marseille are already under pressure after losing two games.
Marseille have long been known as a club with some of the most passionate supporters in France, but fans can quickly turn on players.
The season began with a player crisis after star midfielder Adrien Rabiot was involved in a locker room fight with forward Jonathan Rowe after a defeat to Rennes.
Both players have since been sold, but Marseille can ill afford another defeat at Stade Velodrome.
Lyon are away to Rennes and must re-define their attack after skillful Georgia forward Georges Mikautadze was sold to Spanish club Villarreal for 31 million euros ($36 million) to offset remaining debts.
Lille host a Toulouse side which conceded six goals against PSG in the previous round of games.
Players to watch
Five years ago, Ilan Kebbal was playing in the third tier of French soccer and searching for a professional contract.
Now he’s the co-top scorer in Ligue 1 with newly promoted Paris FC and has been called up by Algeria’s national team.
The 27-year-old midfielder looks to add to his three goals when Paris FC travel to Brest on Sunday.
Giroud was rested for Lille’s last game — and may wish he hadn’t been since Lille won 7-1 at Lorient — but should return against Toulouse.
The 38-year-old striker will look to link up in attack once again with 20-year-old Belgian forward Matias Fernandez-Pardo, who scored twice against Lorient.
Giroud as teammates with right back Benjamin Pavard when France won the 2018 World Cup.
Pavard is back in Ligue 1 with Marseille following a surprise move from Champions League runner-up Inter Milan and could make his club debut against Lorient.
Out of action
PSG will be missing star forward Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué for the home game against Lens on Sunday.
Both were injured on international duty with France and face several weeks out, leading to an angry rebuke from PSG.
PSG’s criticism of the medical staff prompted a swift response from France coach Didier Deschamps.
Off the field
One of the final acts of ousted French Prime Minister François Bayrou was to oversee the dissolution of a violent supporters group known as Strasbourg Offenders.
A government decree on Monday described how the Strasbourg Offenders committed repeated acts of violence and “incitement to hatred or discrimination against people on the basis of their origin,” the decree read, concluding that “this group is derived from the neo-Nazi hooligan movement.”
Bayrou and Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau announced that the 30-strong group has been disbanded, meaning they can no longer attend home matches at Stade de la Meinau.