Magath, 68, played in Hamburg 1976-1986 and scored the winning goal in the 1983 European Cup final against Juventus. He also won the Cup Winners’ Cup, three Bundesliga titles and one German Cup with them, and was later also their general manager and coach.

“There is no doubt that Hamburg is the biggest stage of my life as a footballer,” he told Kicker sports magazine after Hamburg were on Sunday confirmed as Hertha opponents.

“It is not about me and my Hamburg past. It is only about Hertha – and staying in the top flight.”

Hertha are in the play-off as the third-last Bundesliga finisher while Hamburg came third in the second tier. The first leg is on Thursday in Berlin and the return game on Monday in Hamburg.

Hertha have been in the play-offs in their current form since 2009 once before, losing out in 2012 against Fortuna Düsseldorf, one of only three occasions when the second-tier side prevailed.

Hamburg won both of their play-off ties as a Bundesliga side in 2014 and 2015, and coming off five straight wins they also like their chances as a team from the second tier they aim to leave again after four years.

“We really deserve these two bonus games,” coach Tim Walter said after Hamburg’s 3-2 comeback win in Rostock on Sunday.

Forward Robert Glatzel said: “We have a chance but Hertha are the Bundesliga team and a lot of individual quality. We can however make it.”