Hamburg - Bayern Munich host TSG Hoffenheim in one of the most highly anticipated matches in recent Bundesliga history on Friday night.

Newcomers Hoffenheim have taken the league by storm with stylish football and can assure themselves of the unofficial winter title through the winter break if they win at the record and reigning champions Munich.

Munich officials said they could have sold 150,000 tickets for the big game which is to be broadcast in more 100 countries around the world and has seen a massive hype around it for days.

The duel has been compared to the Asterix comics in which a tiny Gaulish village holds on against the Roman Empire with the help of a magic potion and lots of wit.

"We must make sure that the story ends like Asterix," said Hoffenheim coach Ralf Rangnick. "We want their scalp."

The team from Hoffenheim, a village of 3,000 which is officially part of the town of Suinsheim, was alienated at first because the club is sponsored by German billionaire Dietmar Hopp, a co-founder of software giants SAP.

But hate has turned to awe as Hoffenheim's extraordinary team led by league top scorer Vedad Ibisevic (17 goals) has stormed to the top of the table with 40 goals in 15 games.

Now comes the trip to the metropolis Munich. Many teams have faltered at the 21-times German and four-time European champions in the past despite the highest ambitions.

"We're respectful but not afraid. After all, we're Bayern Munich," said Munich midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger.

Bayern had a shaky start to the season under new coach Juergen Klinsmann, but have now marched up the standings since the return of their French star Franck Ribery and moved into second place with a classy 2-0 win at former leaders Bayer Leverkusen.

"Now we want to beat Hoffenheim. I'm sure it'll be a cracking match, and it'll tell us who has the best team at the moment," said general manager Uli Hoeness.

Given the attacking quality of both sides - Luca Toni, Miroslav Klose as well as Ribery for Munich, Ibisevic, Demba Ba and Chinedu Obasi for Hoffenheim - and their defensive weaknesses too, a high-scoring affair is not out of the question.

Hoffenheim have scored a league-leading 20 goals on the road while Bayern have conceded 15 at home which is the worst league record along with Borussia Moenchengladbach.

"It would be normal if we lose. If Bayern lose it would be a landslide," said Rangnick. "We want these three points."

Elsewhere, beleaguered Schalke 04 take on third-placed Hertha Berlin in a Saturday meeting of two UEFA Cup losers from Wednesday.

The other games are Eintracht Frankfurt vs VfL Bochum, SC Karlsruhe vs Werder Bremen, Energie Cottbus vs VfB Stuttgart, Arminia Bielefeld vs Borussia Dortmund, Moenchengladbach vs Leverkusen (Saturday), VfL Wolfsburg vs Hanover 96 and Cologne vs SV Hamburg (Sunday).