Ingolstadt are excited at the prospect of going toe-to-toe with the stars they had only known from the television when they pay the Allianz Arena a visit for the first time on Saturday.

The Bavarians travel to local rivals and league leaders Bayern Munich for a game few would have imagined so soon in the club’s 11-year existence.

Last season’s shock promotion to the Bundesliga has earned Ingolstadt this opportunity, however, and their goalkeeper Ramazan Ozcan says it is something they are desperate to grasp.

“We’re particularly looking forward to this game,” he said. “We’re facing probably the best team in the world at the moment.

“Last season, we were admiring Bayern on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in the Champions League, or on a Saturday on the television.

“Now, we’re able to play against this team! It’s amazing and it just makes it clear to us what we have achieved.”

Indeed, Ingolstadt have made a more than satisfactory start to their first season in the German top flight, already picking up 20 points, which is seen as half of the amount needed to avoid relegation.

Most of that haul has come away from home too, meaning they will have no particular fear about heading to the 70,000-capacity Allianz Arena.

“It’s our easiest game of the year because nobody expects anything from us,” added Ozcan. “Maybe we do have that bit more adrenaline when we are away from home, in such huge stadiums and in front of fantastic crowds. And of course it’s good for us to feel that we’ve gained respect on our travels in the Bundesliga.”

Bayern will show them that respect, but the defending champions will also be desperate to keep the points in Munich after slipping to their first defeat of the season a week ago at Borussia Monchengladbach.

“We have to play well and fight for everything, it won’t be an easy game,” said Robert Lewandowski, “We have to keep our concentration and score the first goal, that should lay the foundations for us to have some fun.”

That win took Gladbach up to third in the standings, a position they will be out to defend when they travel to Bayer Leverkusen this evening.

By then, both Wolfsburg and Hertha Berlin may have slipped past them, with wins over Hamburg and Darmstadt respectively. Saturday’s other games are Werder Bremen against Cologne, and Hoffenheim versus Hannover.

On Sunday, Augsburg are back in action after their dramatic European win at Partizan Belgrade, against a Schalke side who, like them, will be entering Monday’s draw for the last 32 of the Europa League.

So too will Borussia Dortmund, who host Eintracht Frankfurt tomorrow evening looking either to maintain or, if possible, reduce the deficit on league leaders Bayern.