Bundesliga preview: Bayern look to extend lead

1 November 2012 16:49

Bayern Munich head into Saturday's derby at Hamburg full of confidence, while Schalke seek their fourth Bundesliga win in a row.

Bayern, who suffered their first league defeat last week, bounced back with a convincing 4-0 victory over Kaiserslautern in the German Cup on Wednesday.

Claudio Pizarro and Arjen Robben scored two goals apiece for Bayern, who look determined to add to the trophy cabinet after finishing last season with no silverware.

Bayern are four points clear on top of the Bundesliga table after nine games with eight wins and a shock 2-1 loss to Bayer Leverkusen.

Hamburg are seventh on 13 points, knowing a fifth win of the campaign would strengthen their claims for a European berth next season.

Second-placed Schalke will be out to keep the pressure on Bayern when they travel to lowly Hoffenheim on Sunday.

Schalke are enjoying a rich vein of form, having accounted for Nuremburg, champions Borussia Dortmund and Wolfsburg in their past three outings.

Hoffenheim, on the other hand, have taken just two points from their past four matches, losing to Mainz and Bayern in the process.

Perhaps more alarmingly, Hoffenheim have conceded 20 goals this term - two more than any other team in the league and 16 more than Bayern.

Meanwhile, third-placed Eintracht Frankfurt play host to Greuther Furth on Friday.

Frankfurt have made a stellar start in their return to the top flight with 19 points, while fellow promoted side Furth are rooted to the bottom of the league without a win in their past seven starts.

Elsewhere, fourth-placed Dortmund come up against Stuttgart on Saturday, while Freiburg journey to face Borussia Monchengladbach.

Nuremburg take on Wolfsburg at home, with Hannover set to welcome Augsburg.

Fortuna Dusseldorf will play Leverkusen away from home on Sunday, followed by Werder Bremen's home clash with Mainz.