Bundesliga champions Bayern battle Hamburg in season opener

Bayern Munich will begin the defence of their Bundesliga title by welcoming Hamburg to the Allianz Arena, and Pep Guardiola’s Bavarians will be confident of making the perfect start as they hold a dominant record over their German rivals.

Munich have not been toppled by their opening day opponents since 2009, and furthermore, have avoided defeat on home soil from 2007, making the hosts massive odds-on 1/9 favourites with Coral and 5/2 to win with both teams scoring.

The superior German champions have dispatched three or more goals at home against Hamburg in the past five consecutive seasons, including an 8-0 demolition last term as well as a 9-2 thrashing in 2013, and are 11/8 to dispatch four or more this time out.

Prolific Poland international striker Robert Lewandowski struck in last campaign’s eight-goal thumping and is 5/2 to bag a brace or more in his side’s first game of the new term. German World Cup-winning poacher Thomas Muller netted a double that day and is 3/1 to do so again this time out.

Hamburg managed to retain their position in the country’s top-tier division with a victory in the relegation play-offs last term and Der Dino are 22/1 to cause a massive upset at the Allianz Arena.

Croatian veteran Ivica Olic will be hoping to get one over his former employers at his old stomping ground and is 4/1 to net anytime, while Lewis Holtby is 13/2 to do the same, having made his loan spell from Tottenham permanent earlier this year.