In the final bundesliga matchday before the winter break Schalke host Hamburg in the Veltins arena. The hosts will be looking to move into the automatic Champions league positions whilst the visitors are looking to pull away from the danger zone at the bottom side of the table.

Schalke go into the game after a hard fought 2-1 win away to Paderborn midweek. Hamburg travel south after losing 1-0 to fellow strugglers Stuttgart. Coach Joe Zinnbauer has said his team will show "passion and determination in our play".Roberto di matteo said "I am wishing for three points", "For this to happen, the players will need to give it their all one final time"

In recent encounters goals haven't  been a problem with the last two encounters including nine goals. Recent encounters have a track record of high scoring in previous games in Gelsenkirchen with two 3-3 draws in the past four years. The hosts have more of a boost going in to the game with two wins out of the past three, the visitors however have struggled for form away from home and have failed to win their last two games.

On the teams news front Roberto Di matteo went with a back three against Paderborn midweek and it is likely he will use the same method this time round. There is a good chance that Kaan Ayhan will be replaced by Felipe Santana who came on at half time for Jan Kirchkoff during the week. Key attacking players Kevin Prince Boateng and Julian Draxler are both still out missing for the Königsblauen. Other absentees are Santana and Christian Clemens who was involved in a car crash through the week.

The visitors will have to change the formation with Key front man Pierre-Michel Lasogga being ruled out with a thigh strain. It's believed that Joe Zinnbauer will put an extra midfielder in place of top scorer Lasogga, both Arslan and Stieber are vying for a starting place. Captain Rafael Van der vaart misses out through suspension. Swiss midfielder Valon Behrami is also likely to feature after having struggled with knee problems

Ex-Hamburg Stiker Eric choupo moting said "I'm playing against my hometown club, but obviously we want to win." The attacking Striker spent four years at Hamburg  and made him self a firm favourite with the fans who were dissapointed to see him leave. Hamburg coach Zinnbauer said  "We've got a game plan, but we still have to carry it out. It won't be easy". Latvian Stiker Artjoms Rudnevs is expected to lead the line his self against the resilient defence of Di matteo's side with Zinnbauer saying "Everything is possible" when asked if the striker would play alone or with a partner.

Despite Hamburg's struggle to find the net (9) they have only conceded 19 the Schalke coach said "It's not easy to score goals against Hamburg. We'll need to find solutions". The surprsise inclusion of young French player Mo Gouaida in place of Lasogga could come to shock both sets of fans. Zinnbauer described as "A striker, but also flexible, capable of playing the number 7 role or a so called false number 9" Zinnbauers inclusions of young players from the U-23 squad has proven to be succesful with players such as Götz, Marcos, Steinmann and now Gouaida.

predicted line ups:

Schalke: Fährmann - Neustädter, Kirchhoff, Höwedes - Uchida, Fuchs - Aogo - Barnetta, M. Meyer - Huntelaar, Choupo-Moting

Hamburg: Drobny - Diekmeier, Djourou, Cleber, Ostrzolek - Behrami, Arslan - N. Müller, Holtby, Gouaida - Rudnevs