Bayer Leverkusen’s imposing home record against Hamburg will be a source of comfort for the slow-starting Werkself when they host the northerners on Sunday (kick-off 18:00CEST/16:00GMT).
Form
Eight matches without victory for Hamburg at the BayArena is a menacing task for the travelling side to overcome, but in terms of their most recent results, Leverkuen and Hamburg are all-but equal. Leverkusen's 2-1 defeat to Hertha in the capital was disappointing for Heiko Herrlich, however, confirmation of Lucas Alario's move to the club has finally been confirmed and the Argentina striker is in line to make his debut, a major boost to Leverkusen's attacking prospects.
For Bobby Wood and his Hamburg team, finding consistency is the key. Following a solid start with two wins from two to start the season, Markus Gisdol's side have since lost three on the bounce without scoring. Injuries have not helped, with Nicolai Müller and Filip Kostic out for some time, but the likes of Andre Hahn, Wood and Lewis Holtby are all fit to be called upon, with goals the first task for Hamburg to overcome before the Red-Shorts can return to winning ways.
Watch: Leverkusen lost narrowly in the capital in midweek
Probable line-ups
Leverkusen: Leno - Henrichs, Tah, Restos, Wendell - Aranguiz, L. Bender (c) - Volland, Havertz, Brandt - Alario
Absentees: None
Coach: Heiko Herrlich
Hamburg: Mathenia - Diekmeier (c), Papadopoulos, Mavraj, Sakai - Jung, Walace - Hahn, Holtby, Salihovic - Wood
Absentees: van Drongelen (blisters), Hunt, Müller (knee ligaments), Kostic (thigh)
Coach: Markus Gisdol
Match stats
Leverkusen are unbeaten in eight home games against Hamburg (six wins, two draws).Hamburg’s last win at Leverkusen was a 2-1 triumph on 22 February 2009 — Marcell Jansen scored both of the visitors’ goals in Düsseldorf, where Leverkusen were playing at the time.This fixture has never ended goalless.Joel Pohjanpalo scored a hat-trick in Bayer’s 3-1 win over HSV on the Dino’s last visit — the Finn became the first Leverkusen player since Ulf Kirsten and the club’s first-ever substitute to hit a hat-trick.Kyriakos Papadopoulos, who was on loan from Leverkusen to Hamburg at the time, scored the only goal of the game when the pair met at the Volksparkstadion last season.Leverkusen boss Herrlich celebrated his first-ever Bundesliga win as a coach against Hamburg, triumphing in northern Germany with Bochum in November 2009.
Source: bundesliga.com