Hargreaves: Hertha are good, but we'll win

The Champions League reared its head at the Säbener Strasse for the first time this season on Friday in the shape of a visiting Austria camera crew. As a result, the daily news conference was dominated by talk of Rapid Vienna, but the real focus at the Munich club was not on the Austrian capital, Turin or Bruges. Instead, Hertha BSC Berlin and the third Bundesliga fixture of the new campaign were uppermost on Bayern thoughts.

"We'll go all out for the three points tomorrow," Owen Hargreaves declared. Bayern have a minor score to settle with the team from the German capital: with the exception of Schalke 04, Berlin were the only side to avoid defeat against the Reds last term. "And that has to change this season," urged chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

Banking on the crowd

The double winners will be hoping for the same passionate support which carried them to victory in their opening match at the Allianz Arena. "It won't be easy, but anything's possible at the Arena," former Berlin star Sebastian Deisler remarked. Bayern go in search of their 500th home victory in the German top flight, which would also represent their 12th league win in a row.

"We've started well. We want to build on that, and go into the break for internationals on nine points," Hargreaves observed. However, Michael Ballack warned his team-mates not to imagine they simply had to turn up and win. "We all know Hertha can be difficult and dangerous opponents. Last season should tell us that," the Germany skipper pointed out.

Visitors Berlin 'not frightened'

Hertha have also opened well with four points from two matches. "They've picked up where they left off last season," Ballack observed. Hargreaves and Rummenigge both rated Saturday's visitors as realistic title contenders. "So we can put distance between themselves and us," the chairman remarked.

Berlin boss Falko Götz urged his men to set out their championship credentials at the Allianz Arena. "We're not frightened of Munich. We have enough quality to win." The statistics fail to bear out the former 1860 Munich coach's confidence, as Hertha last claimed maximum points in Munich 28 years ago. Götz also has to deal with up to seven regulars missing out with injury.

Only room for one of Pizarro or Guerrero

Magath is definitely without Hasan Salihamidzic (hernia), Roque Santa Cruz (torn muscle), Martin Demichelis (ligaments) and Philipp Lahm (rehab after cruciate surgery). However, the coach is not short of alternatives, with an intriguing call over Roy Makaay's partner up front, where Peru duo Claudio Pizarro and Paolo Guerrero are the contenders.

Deisler would leap at the chance to take on his former team-mates. "You always look forward to playing against your old club," he declared, a sentiment shared by Hertha's ex-Bayern enforcer Niko Kovac. The champions will be especially wary of gifted dangermen Marcelinho and Yildiray Bastürk. "They're two of the best players I've ever faced in the Bundesliga. There's no question Hertha are very good," Hargreaves acknowledged, before concluding confidently: "But we're favourites to win."

Probable line-ups:

Bayern Munich: Kahn - Sagnol, Lucio, Ismael, Lizarazu - Karimi, Hargreaves, Ballack, Zé Roberto - Makaay, Pizarro

Hertha BSC Berlin: Tremmel - Friedrich, van Burik, Simunic, Fathi - Marx, Kovac, Neuendorf - Bastürk, Marcelinho - Rafael

Referee: Thorsten Kinhöfer (Herne)

Bayern's record in the fixture: P22 W16 D4 L2 F57 A20