The 1. FC Kaiserslautern gets no respite at the start of the 2. Bundesliga season when it welcomes rival Karlsruher SC on Saturday evening to Fritz Walter Stadium.

The match, which kicks off at 8:30 p.m. CET in front of a sold-out crowd on the Betzenberg, is the 70th time the two clubs have met, beginning in the 1864-65 Bundesliga season. FCK holds an edge of 26-16-27 over their rivals from the Baden region, including a season sweep last campaign with wins of 3-2 on the road and 3-0 at home.

Both teams are coming off good starts to their seasons. The Red Devils traveled to Wolfsburg on Aug. 8 and collected a goalless draw. KSC, meanwhile, took care of business in its season opener with a 2-1 victory over Arminia Bielefeld.

Karlsruhe has made a few changes since the last time these teams played. One of the biggest is new coach Maximilian Senft. The 37-yeard-old mentor made the move from Austrian Bundesliga team SV Reid.

FCK made a move this week, bringing in Alex Murphy on loan from English Premier League team Newcastle United. The 22-year-old Irish player can line up at center back and left back for the Red Devils and could be available for Kaiserslautern coach Torsten Lieberknecht on Saturday.

Defender Paul Joly could make his first appearance of the season after serving a one-match suspension. Ivan Prtajin and Owen Gibs are out with an Achilles tendon injury and groin problems.

Along with the heated nature of the match, temperatures also are expected to be in the upper 80 degrees at kickoff.