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The German Bundesliga season kick-off is still more then two weeks away, but four clubs – FC Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Hamburger SV, FSV Mainz 05 – will be testing how well prepared they are for the season ahead in the Liga Total Cup in Mainz tonight and tomorrow.
The new 33,500 seater Coface Arena will be hosting its first major football tournament with hosts FSV Mainz 05 taking on defending Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund, while in the second game record champions FC Bayern Munich take on Bundesliga founding member Hamburger SV.
The winners of the two matches will play each other in tomorrow’s final, while the two other sides will face each other in the third place playoffs to be played just ahead of the big final. All matches will be of 2×30 minutes duration with a straight penalty shootout if matches are drawn.
The biggest interest is in how the new look FC Bayern Munich team will perform. German international goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, Brazilian right back Rafinha and young striker Nils Pedersen are set to start while recent additions Jerome Boateng and Takashi Usami are to sit on the bench.
