Hamburg travel to Borussia Dortmund on Saturday in the eyecatching fixture of the weekend and their manager Thomas Doll wants a first league win of the season after three draws.

"The results are not great at the moment but we are not having a crisis," said Doll. "If we play to our strengths we are a class team but we have to prove that."

Hamburg were humiliated by Stuttgart Kickers in the first round of the German Cup last weekend, losing on penalties, and lost 2-1 to Arsenal in their first Champions League match on Wednesday.

Bremen, runners-up last season, also had a week to forget losing on penalties to third division Pirmasens in the first round of the domestic cup and falling 2-0 to Chelsea in the Champions League.

The 2004 champions host VfB Stuttgart on Saturday aiming to flush those defeats out of the system and keep the heat on champions Bayern Munich.

"I thought we were unlucky against Chelsea as we held our own but now we have to focus on the league again," said midfielder Torsten Frings.

Bremen lie fourth in the table with six points one point behind the trio of FC Nuremberg, Bayern and Schalke 04.

Nuremberg, who have not conceded a goal this season, are top on goal difference and have the chance to defend that position with a home game against pointless VfL Bochum.

Schalke face Hertha Berlin on Sunday as both sides were in UEFA Cup action on Thursday.

In contrast to rivals Bremen and Hamburg reigning champions Bayern are in fine fettle after crushing Spartak Moscow 4-0 on Tuesday in their opening Champions League match.

Forwards Roque Santa Cruz and Claudio Pizarro were both on target and coach Felix Magath was relieved after a lean spell in front of goal.

"I am glad our strikers our scoring because that is what they are paid to do," Magath declared. "It was good to see that our team has potential going forward."

Arminia Bielefeld entertain Bayern on Saturday with their coach Thomas von Heesen urging his players to have a go.

"We can be terrified before the game or roll our sleeves up and make life difficult for Bayern," said von Heesen.

Dutch international Marc van Bommel, a six million euro signing from Barcelona, is set to make his league debut for Bayern but his compatriot Roy Makaay faces another game on the substitutes bench due to poor form.