Preview: Borussia Dortmund vs Hamburger SV - prediction, team news, lineups

Borussia Dortmund's quest for the Bundesliga title starts on Saturday, when they face visitors Hamburger SV at Signal Iduna Park.

Niko Kovac's hosts finished second in the league in 2025-26, though they were still far from champions Bayern Munich, whereas Hamburger secured their top-flight survival after finishing 13th.

Match preview

Dortmund's most recent campaign cannot be seen as anything other than positive considering they claimed 16 more points than in 2024-25 (73), and they ended it as the best defensive team in the division in terms of goals conceded (34).

Black and Yellow's return of 70 goals at the other end of the pitch was one fewer than they totalled in 2024-25, their second worst return in eight seasons.

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 Bavarians dropping points.

It may unfortunately be a sign of things to come that BVB were beaten in the first Der Klassiker of 2026-27, losing 2-1 in the German Supercup final on August 22, but it must be remembered that neither Dortmund nor Bayern would have been at their strongest in the campaign's curtain raiser.

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.

Hamburger's campaign was undoubtedly a success given they arrived into it as a newly-promoted team after seven consecutive seasons in the second tier.

HSV must avoid complacency this term considering their tally of 38 points meant they only finished nine points above Wolfsburg in the 16th-placed relegation playoff spot.

The visitors began 2026-27 with a 3-0 success over SC Verl in the first round of the DFB-Pokal on August 24, though they did start the 2025-26 Bundesliga with one point from their opening three fixtures.

Merlin Polzin are winless against BVB in seven meetings, with the club's 3-2 loss to Dortmund in March their sixth defeat in that stretch.

Hamburger did win one and draw one of their final two away league outings last season, but they suffered three losses in their prior three top-flight matches on the road.

Borussia Dortmund form (all competitions):

Hamburger SV form (all competitions):

Team News

Dortmund striker Serhou Guirassy will lead the line, and after failing to score in the Supercup final, he will hope for more support from the likes of Konstantinos Karetsas and Giannis Konstantelias.

Felix Nmecha starred at the World Cup for Germany, and he is a certain inclusion for BVB on Saturday, while he may be paired with Jobe Bellingham.

With Emre Can and Nico Schlotterbeck still injured, there is no reason to doubt the selection of Joane Gadou, Waldemar Anton and Ramy Bensebaini in a three-man defence.

New Hamburger signing Patson Daka registered an assist against SC Verl, and he will be keen to score on his league debut for the visitors.

The HSV forward will need support from fellow attackers Martin Adeline and Albert Gronbaek, but the forward line must be adequately platformed by midfielders Albert Sambi Lokonga and Nicolai Remberg.

Borussia Dortmund possible starting lineup:

Kobel; Gadou, Anton, Bensebaini; Ryerson, Bellingham, Nmecha, Svensson; Karetsas, Konstantelias; Guirassy

Hamburger SV possible starting lineup:

Fernandes; Capaldo, Bornauw, Torunarigha; Jatta, Remberg, Lokonga, Lemke; Adeline, Gronbaek; Daka

We say: Borussia Dortmund 2-0 Hamburger SV

Borussia Dortmund may not have won the Supercup final, but Signal Iduna Park has been a fortress for them in recent times.

Hamburger will have to get the better of a strong defence, but given they are also set to face an intense home crowd, it would not be surprising if Dortmund emerged as winners.

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