Hertha Berlin coach Michael Skibbe will be counting on the Olympiastadion effect for the first time on Saturday for the visit of Hamburg.

Hertha have three home matches in the next 10 days, including a DFB-Pokal quarter-final tie against Borussia Monchengladbach.

Three wins out of three would put a completely different perspective on the club's season, and Skibbe wants his side to carry on from where they left off at home with victory over Kaiserslautern last December.

"We want to be strong at home," he said. "And Hertha did win their last home game so a home weakness has already been swept aside.

"I prefer to have three home games in a row than three away.

"These three games provide us with a good chance of moving up the table and reaching the semi-finals of the cup."

On the other hand, opponents Hamburg may be pleased to get away from northern Germany after losing 5-1 at home to Borussia Dortmund last weekend.

"The team has put that defeat behind them and is now looking forwards," their coach Thorsten Fink said.

"We will see which team can deal with this (relegation battle) best. Hertha are a team who we can compete with.

"Our aim for the season remains mid-table security."

Mladen Petric will return to the starting XI for Hamburg, barring any late mishaps.

"Mladen will play if he is fit, and as things stand, he is fit," Fink said at the pre-match press conference.

David Jarolim also has a "good chance" of playing, according to the Hamburg coach, while Felix Bastians could make his Hertha debut after completing his move from Freiburg this week.