Hamburg - Leaders SV Hamburg travel to surprise side Eintracht Frankfurt while second-placed Bayer Leverkusen take on visiting Werder Bremen in key Bundesliga matches on Sunday. Meanwhile, Felix Magath has an early encounter with his old club Wolfsburg when the champions visit the coach's third-placed Schalke side on Friday in another highlight of the weekend programme.
The top four will all be keeping an eye on Bayern Munich who are on the crest of a wave in fifth place, five points adrift of the leaders, ahead of Saturday's visit by Nuremberg.
Hamburg, on 13 points with Leverkusen, are at fourth-placed Frankfurt who in their first season under coach Michael Skibbe remain unbeaten on nine points, one behind Schalke.
Skibbe's side may have the advantage of not being involved in European action, unlike Bruno Labbadia's Hamburg who were at Rapid Vienna on Thursday in the Europa League.
After three successive league defeats, Wolfsburg have been boosted by a 3-1 victory over CSKA Moscow Tuesday on their Champions League debut, and will be highly motivated against the former coach.
Magath insists Wolfsburg will be the favourites against his side despite a string of league defeats by the Wolves, now coached by Armin Veh.
"If they had taken their chances against (Bayern) Munich they wouldn't have lost," Magath told Kicker sports magazine.
"Things didn't go luckily for them against Leverkusen and it's always possible to lose to a team like Hamburg. I am sure Wolfsburg will be near the top again this season."
Schalke, meanwhile, are a team undergoing change, including a more active and less passive style of play, Magath said. "We are where Wolfsburg were two years ago."
Munich are full of confidence after a 3-0 Champions League win at Maccabi Haifa, which followed comprehensive 3-0 and 5-1 defeats of Wolfsburg and Borussia Dortmund on the domestic front.
"Pre-season was difficult for us, but if we beat Nuremberg on Saturday, it'll be fair to call it a decent opening to the season. Before that, we have to win," coach Louis van Gaal said.
The coach, who replaced both France midfielder Franck Ribery and Dutch winger Arjen Robben in the second half against Maccabi and had striker Mario Gomez on the bench, is again likely to make some changes against Nuremberg.
"I had to use the match (against Maccabi) as part of a fitness programme for both Ribery and Robben," van Gaal explained.
"Ribery's been injured and can't manage 90 minutes. He's had 30 minutes, 45 minutes and now 60 minutes. Robben didn't play a full 90 minutes for Real Madrid in the summer, although he has slightly fewer problems than Franck."
One unexpected boost for van Gaal has been the brace of goals against both Dortmund and Maccabi by striker Thomas Mueller, who only turned 20 on Sunday.
General manager Uli Hoeness said this week that Mueller was "the biggest surprise for everyone."
He added: "He's just 20 but he's totally unencumbered, and he scores vital goals. Hats off to our youth section. It's going really well for him right now."
Elsewhere, Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp, who had his team in a training camp during the week following the 5-1 home defeat to Bayern, will be hoping for an improvement at Hanover on Saturday.
Bottom club Cologne - the only team yet to win - have a tough visit to VfB Stuttgart, Borussia Moenchengladbach entertain Hoffenheim, while VfL Bochum take on Mainz in other matches Saturday.
Sunday's remaining game sees second-last Hertha Berlin face fellow strugglers Freiburg.
