On-song Hamburg set sights on Schalke
Hamburg – The last time Hamburger SV made such a good start to a Bundesliga season, Bruno Labbadia was also their coach, and he will hope his charges can continue their rich vein of form at home to FC Schalke 04 on Saturday (kick-off 18:30CEST/16:30GMT).
Top facts
After a three-game unbeaten run, Hamburg are in the top half of the table for the first time in more than two years.
With ten points to their name, Hamburg have made their best start in six years when Bruno Labbadia was also their coach.
Hamburg have kept three successive clean sheets, the first time they have done so since 2007.
It was with a 2-0 home win against Schalke on the last day of the 2014/15 season that Hamburg secured a relegation play-off place.
Schalke have registered more victories and scored more goals against Hamburg than against any other Bundesliga side.
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar has scored ten goals against Schalke, more than against any other club other than Heracles Almelo.
Schalke have not scored in 214 Bundesliga minutes against HSV.
Possible line-ups
Hamburg: Drobny – Diekmeier, Djourou, Spahic, Ostrzolek – Kacer, Holtby – N. Müller, Hunt, Illicevic - Lasogga
Absentees: Ekdal (muscle problems), P. Müller, Marcos, Hirzel
Schalke: Fährmann – Junior Caicara, Matip, Neustädter, Kolasinac – Choupo-Moting, Goretzka, Geis, Meyer – Di Santo, Huntelaar
Absentees: Giefer, Felipe Santana, Nastastic (Achilles), Uchida (knee), Boateng, Sam
