Champions Bayern Munich are confident they will put Wednesday’s momentary blip in the German Cup behind them when they travel to Augsburg in the Bundesliga on Saturday, while fireworks are expected when Hamburg SV revive their derby with St Pauli.
Bayern looked to be cruising to an easy win when they went 2-0 up at third-tier Wehen Wiesbaden before conceding two goals in six minutes to see the hosts draw level.
Bayern striker Harry Kane’s stoppage-time winner sent them through to the second round, but their backline’s shaky second-half performance and wasteful finishing raised concerns.
“I would not call it a nail-biting performance from us,” Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said.
“We did not do everything right but we stayed calm until the end and this happens in football sometimes. I know that against Augsburg we will carry our momentum with us. We have built up that momentum in the pre-season.”
If results this season are anything to go by, Bayern look strong, having won all three of their competitive matches so far, including the German Super Cup against VfB Stuttgart and their 6-0 demolition of RB Leipzig in their Bundesliga opener.
But questions remain over squad depth, with speculation about late transfer moves to strengthen their attack, including Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson. The Bavarians failed to land big-name targets such as Florian Wirtz and Nick Woltemade during the summer window.
Hamburg vs St Pauli: Derby Day Returns
On Friday, Hamburg SV host city rivals St Pauli in their first Bundesliga home match since 2018. The 112th Hamburg derby promises fireworks, as the six-time German champions aim to reassert local dominance after years of playing second fiddle.
Hamburg captain Yussuf Poulsen is eager for the clash:
“I have experienced many things at RB Leipzig but never such a derby. I am relishing this and look forward to my very first home game at the Volkspark stadium.”
Elsewhere in the Bundesliga
- Borussia Dortmund host Union Berlin on Sunday after being held to a draw in their league opener.
- Bayer Leverkusen travel to Werder Bremen on Saturday as they aim to continue their strong start.
