Borussia Dortmund welcome Hamburg to Signal Iduna Park for their first Bundesliga match of the 2026-27 season on Saturday as the side aims to get off to a winning start.
The BVB have been preparing for this moment the entire summer, indulging in a handful of friendly games whilst strengthening their squad with a few new and exciting signings.
After the disappointment of last season that promised so much but yielded nothing, head coach Niko Kovac will be keen to make a statement as one of Europe's astute managers.
Dortmund did set several milestones in their first league campaign under him, but the question is, can they finally bring the Meisterschale to Westfalonstadion again?
We shall get a glimpse of what to expect from this revamped squad tonight. Here's what to look forward to as Hamburg come to town:
1) Unleashing Greek guns, Karetsas and Konstantelias
This is what perhaps every Dortmund fan is looking forward to in tonight's game. We did get a glimpse of them playing together against Bayern Munich in the Supercup last weekend with Karetsas starting and Konstantelias coming off the bench, but it lasted just 17 minutes.
Yet, they were the brightest sparks in the game and Hamburg are no Bayern, so Kovac may experiment with starting both together and giving them a chance dictate the match from the opening whistle instead of waiting until the BVB are playing catch-up.
2) The last of Fabio Silva?
Yes, he proved his value during the preseason. Yes, he even scored against Bayern last weekend. But yes, he could still leave Dortmund before the summer transfer window shuts on Monday, which means we could see him for one last time tonight.
Fabio Silva has spoken of assuming bigger role at the club, but with Kovac sticking to Guirassy as his first choice striker, it's difficult to see the Portuguese getting regular starting minutes unless he adds a ruthless scoring streak to his game.
3) Veerman for Bellingham
Felix Nmecha and Jobe Bellingham appear to have struck a solid midfield partnership over the last season but we'd like to see Joey Veerman come in for Bellingham here, especially since Hamburg are likely to sit deep and play defensively.
The €22 million-signing from PSV Eindhoven excels against such oppositions; his ability to receive pass under pressure and switch plays by picking out teammates could particularly prove vital here in breaking down Die Rothosen.
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