Hertha fine-tuned to face Bayern

Top of the Bundesliga for the first time since 2000, Hertha BSC Berlin will look to continue their strong start to the campaign when they travel to Bavaria to take on misfiring FC Bayern München.

Hertha 'harmony'
It has been a strange opening to the season in Germany. Six games in and Bayern, runaway champions for the last two years, have already lost twice although that is still good enough for a share of top spot alongside four other teams. Werder Bremen and FC Schalke 04 would be expected to challenge but the sides currently occupying the first two places on goal difference are mid-table stalwarts Hertha and 1. FC Nürnberg. "There is a lot of harmony within the team. We have the right mix of young and more experienced players," explained Hertha's German international Arne Friedrich.

Youthful promise
"We didn't play so well in our last couple of games though. We cannot compensate for the loss of players like Gilberto or [Yıldıray] Baştürk [both injured last month] and our young team will have to cope with setbacks." There was another setback in the UEFA Cup first round as Hertha's European ambitions were ended by Odense BK. Nevertheless, a squad blessed with the precocious talents of Sofian Chahed, Patrick Ebert, Solomon Okoronkwo, Kevin-Prince Boateng and German international Malik Fathi have continued to impress in domestic competition.

Götz belief
Such is the heightened expectation in the capital that when Hertha drew 2-2 with VfB Stuttgart on 1 October, the result was met with disappointment. "I would have preferred to have won, to have twelve points, but be in third place," coach Falko Götz moaned. "Other than that, things have been excellent this season." That assessment is in stark contrast to the one held at the Fußball Arena München after Bayern's mixed start to the campaign. Ten points from six outings is an underwhelming return for a side who have nonetheless begun their UEFA Champions League challenge with back-to-back victories.

'Nothing to lose'
"I get the impression the team cannot cope with everyday life in the Bundesliga," said chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. "I appeal to them to change their playing style in the Bundesliga." Bayern's approach has done them proud in their meetings with Hertha, against whom they are unbeaten in 29 years. Moreover, Hertha have not won away since April though there is a vein of confidence running through the visitors. "We're travelling to Munich full of belief," said Götz. "We have nothing to lose."