/https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.footballwhispers.com%2Fmain%2F2026%2F08%2FFelix-Nmecha-FW.jpg)
Borussia Dortmund will hope that the Bundesliga season will see them crowned as champions, though they must begin with a win against visitors Hamburger SV on Saturday at Signal Iduna Park.
Black and Yellow may have finished second last term, but they were still far from title winners Bayern Munich, whereas opponents Hamburger successfully avoided the drop by finishing 13th.
Read our prediction, preview and betting tips for the game below, and make sure to check out our today's betting tips page for more of our expert predictions.
Borussia Dortmund vs Hamburger SV key stats
- Borussia Dortmund kept the most clean sheets in the Bundesliga last season (15).
- Dortmund scored at least two goals in 17 of their last 20 league matches of 2025-26.
- Serhou Guirassy scored four goals in his last five Bundesliga games.
Borussia Dortmund vs Hamburger SV preview: Dortmund the only real challenger to Bayern?
Borussia Dortmund vs Hamburger SV — Tale of the Tape
| Borussia Dortmund | vs | Hamburger SV |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd | Position (2025-26) | 13th |
| 73 | Points | 38 |
| 70 | Goals For | 40 |
| 34 | Goals Against | 54 |
| 15 | Clean Sheets | 6 |
| 2nd | Home / Away Rank | 14th |
Borussia Dortmund come into this weekend's clash having significantly improved in 2025-26 compared to 2024-25, with the club collecting 16 more points (73), while also conceding 17 fewer goals (34).
That defensive record was the best in the Bundesliga, but they still ended the campaign 16 points behind champions Bayern Munich, and they were also beaten 2-1 by the Bavarians in the German Supercup final on August 22.
Borussia Dortmund averaged 4.8 shots on target per game in the Bundesliga last term.
While fans should look at the positives of the campaign, their side did often fail to capitalise on Bayern Munich dropping points, and they must avoid such inconsistency if they are to claim their first title in 15 seasons.
The only concerns for Dortmund in terms of injuries are in central defence, with both Emre Can and Nico Schlotterbeck set to miss out, but their absences could be covered by Joane Gadou, Waldemar Anton and Ramy Bensebaini.
Hamburger's only goal at the start of 2025-26 would have been to secure their place in the top flight given they had spent seven seasons in the second tier, so it is impossible to say that they did not achieve their target.
The challenge for boss Merlin Polzin for this campaign will no doubt be the same, though his side only finished above the 16th-placed relegation playoff spot by nine points last term, and a bigger gap would help boost confidence amongst fans.
Hamburger SV averaged 4.6 shots on target per game in the Bundesliga last season.
However, HSV will have to defy recent history if they are to start 2026-27 in strong fashion considering they are winless against BVB in seven meetings, a period in which they were beaten six times.
If the visitors are to earn a victory on the weekend, they will need newcomer Patson Daka to be at his best, and it was a promising sign that the striker registered an assist against SC Verl in his side's DFB-Pokal win on August 24.
Borussia Dortmund vs Hamburger SV form guide & betting tips
| BVB | vs | HAM |
|---|---|---|
L |
Form | W |
| N/A | Points | N/A |
| N/A | Form Table | N/A |
| 1 | Goals For | 3 |
| 2 | Goals Against | 0 |
L |
Form (All Comps) | W |
Whispers predicts: Borussia Dortmund 2-0 Hamburger SV
Signal Iduna Park has often been a fortress, and it is easy to see why the bookmakers have priced a home win at 3/10 (1.3).
The hosts scored at least two goals in 17 of their last 20 league games of 2025-26, and that makes a bet of Borussia Dortmund to Score Over 1.5 Goals at 4/11 (1.36) a sensible prediction.
Dortmund were also excellent defensively last term, so betting Under 0.5 Goals for Hamburger SV at 11/10 (2.1) may make sense.
Should Dortmund keep a clean sheet, then they will look to their number nine to open the scoring, so it could be worthwhile to predict Serhou Guirassy to Score First at 19/10 (2.9).
> Borussia Dortmund to Score Over 1.5 Goals at 4/11 (1.36) | Likelihood: Probable
> Under 0.5 Goals for Hamburger SV at 11/10 (2.1) | Likelihood: Possible
> Serhou Guirassy to Score First at 19/10 (2.9) | Likelihood: Possible