Borussia Dortmund kick-start the new Bundesliga season on home soil as they welcome Hamburger SV, with Niko Kovac aiming to start with a win.
Borussia Dortmund could not challenge for the title last time out despite being in and around Bayern Munich’s chase. However, they did vastly improve on their points total from the season before, as Niko Kovac’s men showed plenty of improvement in their performances.
Kovac’s side also finished 16 points behind Bayern, and while few expected BVB to beat their rivals to the title, it was notable that they often failed to capitalise on the Bavarian giants dropping points. The two teams have already played the first Der Klassiker of 2026/27, losing 2-1 in the German Supercup final.
However, the manager may not take it as a precursor for the season to come, and he will want a concerted title charge this time around, and for that Dortmund will hope to have a winning start to the campaign as they host Hamburger SV in their first game of the Bundesliga season.
The hosts will look to rely on Signal Iduna Park, especially as they only lost two of their 17 Bundesliga clashes at the stadium, a period in which they experienced 13 victories. With a strong home record and a solid defensive foundation, Dortmund will be confident of starting their title charge with a win against a side that has historically struggled against them.
Merlin Polzin will consider Hamburg’s campaign a glowing success following their first season after gaining promotion to the top flight. Having spent seven consecutive seasons in the second tier, they will now look to build on their stellar season in the Bundesliga with the sole aim of staying here for as long as possible.
Their tally of 38 points, which was nine points above VfL Wolfsburg in the 16th-placed relegation playoff spot, must be improved this season, and that should be the aim for the club.
Hamburger SV have already won their first official game of the season in the 3-0 success over SC Verl in the first round of the DFB-Pokal. However, the manager would not want a repeat of last season’s early stages in the league when they only collected one point from the opening three games.
Team News & Tactics
Borussia Dortmund
Niko Kovac is still not clear with his tactics following the clash with Bayern Munich, but as time progresses he will have his main starting eleven in place. At the moment, he will rely on his usual tactics of a back three and relying on striker striker Serhou Guirassyfor the goals.
After failing to score in the Supercup final, he will hope for more support from Konstantinos Karetsas and Giannis Konstantelias. Felix Nmecha starred in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for Germany, and he is a certain inclusion for BVB on Saturday, as the German international will continue his midfield partnership with Jobe Bellingham.
With Emre Can and Nico Schlotterbeck still injured, Joane Gadou should find a place at the back alongside Waldemar Anton and Ramy Bensebaini in a three-man defence. The hosts have no suspension concerns, and Kovac should have a near-full squad to choose from apart from a few long-term absentees.
Probable Lineup (3-4-3): Kobel; Gadou, Anton, Bensebaini; Ryerson, Bellingham, Nmecha, Svensson; Karetsas, Konstantelias; Guirassy
Hamburger SV
New Hamburger SV signing Patson Daka registered an assist against SC Verl, and he will be part of the attacking setup against Dortmund. The HSV forward will need the support of fellow attackers Martin Adeline and Albert Gronbaek. Midfielders Albert Sambi Lokonga and Nicolai Remberg are also vying for a place in the lineup.
The manager is expected to pitch the lineup based on what he did for most parts last season, but will miss key attacker Fabio Vieira since he has not been signed permanently as of yet from Arsenal. At the moment, his selection will be based on the fitness of available stars and who might be ready for a game of this magnitude.
The visitors have no major injury concerns, and Merlin Polzin should have a full squad to choose from. Swiss full-back Sascha Britschgi is not in this squad; instead, HSV’s defensive unit is expected to feature goalkeeper Daniel Heuer Fernandes, Nicolas Capaldo, Sebastiaan Bornauw, and Jordan Torunarigha, with Bakery Jatta and Louis Lemke providing width from the left flank.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Fernandes; Capaldo, Bornauw, Torunarigha, Jatta; Remberg, Lokonga; Adeline, Gronbaek, Lemke; Daka
Key Stats
- Borussia Dortmund ended the 2025/26 season as the Bundesliga’s best defensive team, conceding just 34 goals in 34 matches.
- Borussia Dortmund won 13 of their 17 home league games last term, losing only twice at Signal Iduna Park.
- Hamburger SV are winless in their last seven meetings with Dortmund, suffering six defeats in that run.
- HSV started last season with just one point from their opening three away league fixtures.
Player to Watch
Serhou Guirassy
The main frontman will be eager to start a new season with a goalscoring display. More importantly, Niko Kovac will be happy to name the Guinean striker in the lineup following some rumours of his exit during the summer, as it appears he will continue with the Bundesliga giants, at least for the time being.
Guirassy can give Borussia Dortmund a big chance to compete for the title, and his regular goalscoring exploits will be key for Kovac and the team’s success in the upcoming campaign. However, he will be Hamburger SV’s big problem, as the striker is expected to find his name on the scoresheet.
Prediction
Borussia Dortmund 2-0 Hamburger SV
Hamburg will come into this clash as the clear underdogs, although they will want to show their fans a sense of improvement in their performances. However, given the toughness of their opening fixture, it is difficult to see them take anything away from the game.
Niko Kovac will be raring to begin the season with a bang, and while he may want a big result on the board, the earliness of this fixture will see them seize control and put in a respectable scoreline. Borussia Dortmund are expected to win this one with comfort and keep a clean sheet in the process.