Bundesliga 2025-26: Hamburg visits Bayern as one of Germany’s greatest rivalry

Newly promoted Hamburg Travel on Saturday to Bayern Munich while the Bundesliga sees the return of one of the most legendary clashes year after the last ‘North-South top’.

The last meeting between the two in March 2018 was a proof of the enormously different paths of the Northern people and the southern giant when Bayern increased to a 6-0 victory in the home of Allianz Arena.

That year, Hamburg fell out of the top flight for the first time in its history, to return this campaign after a seven-seasers span in the Second Division-a situation that held his status as one of the traditional powerhouses of German football.

Hamburg is the only different German side than Bayern and Borussia Dortmund who won the European Cup.

And only Dortmund, Schalke, Nuremberg and Bayern have won more than their six German league titles.

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One of the best supported clubs in Germany, located in a rich region of the country and with a land of nearly 60,000 capacity, has all the ingredients to be one of the big guns of the Bundesliga.

Hamburg’s great rival of the 1980s, Bayern has meanwhile won 12 of the last 13 Bundesliga titles.

The recent record between the couple also shows how wide the gap has become.

Hamburg has not defeated Bayern since 2009. Since that victory, Bayern has won 16 times, with three draws. Bayern has scored 71 goals in those matches and only gives a point with two 8-0 wins and a 9-2 demolition.

Hamburg – Coach Merlin Polzin, a lifelong fan of the club who supervised their promotion last season, said on Thursday that his team «does not want to think about old stories – we are happy to reform history».

“We have conviction and believe in our possibilities. We want to bring our game to the field, even if it is a very, very strong opponent, the 34-year-old said.

«It is a very special game for us against the best team in Germany and one of the best in Europe.»

Hamburg is still looking for a first goal since they returned to the top flight, with 0-0 away to Borussia Moenchengladbach and 2-0 home to City Rivals St Pauli prior to the international break.

Just like Bayern, that Harry Kane, Luis Diaz, Nicolas Jackson and Michael Olise from England has signed in the past seasons, the Hamburg recruitment has accepted a Premier League taste this summer.

On Deadline Day they brought in the Arsenal -Duo Fabio Vieira and Albert Sambi Lokonga to add more quality in midfield.

«Everyone knows how strong Bayern is,» Vieira told Bild. «I’m looking forward to it. We’ll fight and we want to take something there.»

Published on September 12, 2025