Gelsenkirchen - FC Schalke 04 will be looking to continue a perfect start to the season when they welcome SV Darmstadt 98 to the Veltins Arena on Saturday (kick-off 15:30 CEST / 13:30 GMT).

Buoyed by a 3-0 win at SV Werder Bremen which sees them as one of the early-season pace-setters, the Royal Blues will now be looking to do it all again in front of their own fans. Promoted side Darmstadt, meanwhile, will have a taste of what all their hard work last season was for as they head to one of the temples of German football for their first away fixture back in the top flight. bundesliga.com explores what they can expect...

- © DFL DEUTSCHE FUSSBALL LIGA

History

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Top facts

Andre Breitenreiter picked up a debut win in the Schalke dugout last weekend. It’s the first time in six years the Royal Blues have opened with a win.

Darmstadt have only occupied a position in the top half of the table after Matchday 1 once before (1981/82).

Schalke have never got through the first two games of a Bundesliga season without conceding.

Darmstadt are yet to come through the first two games of a Bundesliga season without tasting defeat.

Andre Breitenreiter and Dirk Schuster lined up on opposite sides of the pitch on three occasions as players in the mid-1990s, but Darmstadt’s current coach didn’t end up on the winning team in a single one of them.

Schalke have only won three of the 13 games in which Roman Neustädter has been in the starting line-up.

Team news

Schalke

Possible line-up: Fährmann - Junior Caicara, Matip, Neustädter, Aogo - Goretzka, Geis - Choupo-Moting, Draxler - di Santo, Huntelaar

Absentees: Giefer (adductor), Höwedes (fitness), Nastasic (achilles), Uchida (fitness)

Darmstadt

Possible line-up: Mathenia - Jungwirth, Sulu, Caldirola, Holland - Gondorf, Niemeyer - Heller, Rausch - Sailer - Stroh-Engel

Absentees: Wembacher, Finger, Kazimi, Volk