Two teams at opposite ends of both the Bundesliga table and the form table clash tomorrow afternoon, as relegation battlers Hamburger SV take on one of this season's many surprise packages FC Koln.
While the hosts are two points from 15th place and safety from the relegation play-offs, their opponents have a different aim as they hope to maintain their place in the top six with Eintracht Frankfurt and SC Freiburg hot on their tail.
Hamburger looking to avoid their first ever relegation from the top-flight
Markus Gisdol's men find themselves in a precarious position with nine games left of the Bundesliga season. Currently sitting in 16th place, Hamburger could be facing their first ever relegation from the Bundesliga, but their recent form suggests they are anything but dead and buried.
They are unbeaten in their last three games including two home wins against high-flying Hertha Berlin and Borussia Monchengladbach. Their home form is what could keep them up, with five wins and one draw from their previous six league games now leaving them just two points from safety.
Fans may recall Hamburg's escape from relegation via the play-offs in the 2014/15 season when they stayed up on away goals against 2.Bundesliga outfit Greuther Furth thanks to Pierre Michel Lasogga, although they will be hoping they do not need to find a new hero this season.
German winger Nicolai Muller has been one of the the club's standout players this season, with four goals and six assists to his name while their top scorer in the league is American striker Bobby Wood with five league goals.
Die Geißböcke under pressure to hold down top six spot
This season has been one of surprise packages in the Bundesliga, with RB Leipzig in second place while Hoffenheim, Hertha Berlin and FC Koln take fourth, fifth and sixth place respectively.
Their form of late has been less that impressive however and threatens to derail the work they have put in in the first half of the season. Peter Stöger's side have won just once in their last seven competitive matches, with that victory coming in their most recent Bundesliga match against Hertha Berlin when an Anthony Modeste hat-trick secured a 4-2 win at the RheinEnergieStadion.
Their fortunes this season have been influenced greatly by star striker Modeste. The Frenchman has 22 league goals to his name so far, with only Borussia Dortmund's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang netting more, and he will remain key to their chances of securing European qualification.
Team news
The hosts have almost their entire squad at their disposal ahead of the game, with midfielder Aaron Hunt the only confirmed absence due to injury.
Koln however have a much larger injury list on their hands with Marcel Risse, Leonardo Bittencourt, Yuya Osako and Artjoms Rudnevs all injured while Matthias Lehmann and Marcel Hartel will remain on the sidelines due to suspensions.
Predicted line-ups
Hamburger SV (4-2-3-1): Adler; Ostrzolek, Jung, Papadopoulos, Diekmeier; Ekdal, Sakai; Kostic, Holtby, Muller; Wood.
FC Koln (4-3-2-1): Horn; Hector, Subotic, Maroh, Olkowski; Rausch, Hoger, Jojic, Clemens; Zoller, Modeste.