The air crackles with anticipation in Hamburg as Hamburger SV (HSV) stands on the brink of a return to the Bundesliga, a dream decades in the making. Saturday night's match against SSV Ulm holds the key, a 90-minute battle that could catapult HSV back into the top flight. But the path isn't easy; Ulm, fighting desperately to avoid relegation, promises a tough challenge. Let's dive into the details of this crucial HSV-Ulm match.
A win against SSV Ulm guarantees HSV's promotion to the Bundesliga. A draw might be enough, depending on other results, but coach Merlin Polzin isn't leaving anything to chance. He's focused on controlling what HSV can control: a strong performance on their home turf, the Volksparkstadion. The pressure is immense, both on the players and the city of Hamburg, as they chase this coveted promotion.
SSV Ulm, battling relegation, will be a formidable opponent, making this far from a guaranteed victory. Coach Polzin emphasizes focusing on the game itself, avoiding distractions, and channeling the intense energy of the fans into a positive force. The stakes couldn't be higher for both teams.
Unfortunately, HSV faces some injury concerns that could impact their lineup. Dennis Hadzikadunic is out for the season due to injury, and Tom Mickel's shoulder injury is being assessed daily. However, there's hope for Immanuel Pherai's return to training, and Aboubaka Soumahoro's full participation in training is a significant boost to the team's depleted center-back position. This creates an opportunity for other players to step up, with Lukasz Poreba and Joel Agyekum being highlighted as potential starters. Coach Polzin is confident in his squad's depth and ability to adapt under pressure.
Despite being suspended for the match, HSV captain Sebastian Schonlau conveyed a message of measured optimism and team unity. He acknowledges the immense excitement surrounding the club but stresses the importance of focusing on the task at hand: winning the match against Ulm. Schonlau emphasizes the team's unity and resilience, highlighting the growth and maturity within the squad this season. His absence from the pitch won't diminish his support for his teammates.
After a resounding 4-0 victory against Darmstadt, the HSV players expressed their confidence and readiness for the upcoming match. The win against Darmstadt served as a powerful demonstration of their capabilities under pressure, and they’re heading into the crucial game against Ulm with a strong sense of unity and determination.
The match against SSV Ulm is more than just a football game; it's a culmination of years of hard work, dedication, and unwavering support from fans. While the excitement is palpable, the focus remains on the 90 minutes ahead. The team, led by coach Polzin and Schonlau's unwavering spirit, is ready to give their all in pursuit of Bundesliga promotion. The Volksparkstadion is ready to roar; let’s see if HSV can deliver the performance needed to make their dream a reality.
Under the leadership of 34-year-old Hamburg-born manager Merlin Polzin, who was originally appointed as a caretaker in November before getting the top job a month later, the club is closing in on a top-flight return. Sitting first, four points clear of the relegation playoff spot, Hamburger Sport-Verein, known in Germany as HSV or simply Hamburg, needs three points in two games to guarantee promotion. They can seal the deal with a win at home over second-last Ulm on Saturday.
The bigger question, though, is whether HSV have made the necessary changes not just to stay in the top flight, but to return to the summit of the German game, where a club of their stature belongs. The proud club's relegation may have shocked some, but weighed down by bad decisions and poor management, the team had been circling the drain for some time. HSV finished in the bottom five four times until finally slipping down in 2018.
A six-time league champion and one of only three German teams to win the Champions League, the club has all the ingredients to be a consistent football powerhouse. In Germany's second-biggest city and on one of the richest ports in Europe, HSV's average attendance of just under 56,000 this season is better than all but five top-flight clubs.
But from recruitment to junior development and commercial decisions, Hamburg has gotten in their own way too often to capitalize on their sizeable potential. Champions League final-bound Hakan Calhanoglu, Spurs forward Son Heung-min, and Germany centre-back Jonathan Tah are just some of the current stars the club let slip.
In 2008, HSV needed a coach and was considering up-and-coming manager Jurgen Klopp, who was then at second-division Mainz. Klopp, a smoker with holes in his jeans and a five o'clock shadow, let his players call him the casual moniker 'Kloppo'. HSV turned down the future Champions League winner for being too unserious, too informal. Klopp instead moved to Borussia Dortmund, where he won two league titles, a German Cup, and made a Champions League final. He later expressed his frustration at HSV's decision, as he felt he was ready to lead a team.
HSV were sent down in 2018, ending their stint as the last remaining founding member of the Bundesliga, never having tasted relegation until that point. Famously, the club had installed a giant clock at their Volksparkstadion home, counting the years, days, hours, minutes, and seconds spent in the top flight. A year later, the clock was taken down and quietly disassembled.
Since then, Hamburg has constantly flirted with promotion, having never finished lower than fourth and twice losing the relegation playoff without taking the final step. The closest Hamburg came was at the end of the 2022-23 season after a 1-0 win at relegated Sandhausen. The stadium announcer told Hamburg fans their second-division purgatory was over, only to learn that minnows Heidenheim had scored twice in stoppage time and would be headed up instead.
In 2024, city rivals St Pauli, the cult club from the Reeperbahn known for political activism rather than silverware, won the second division and took a spot in the top flight, while HSV could only watch on. Now, with the first division slipping into view, Hamburg are bullish. Speaking on Thursday, Polzin said the club was "absolutely not afraid of anything, and we have no doubts either." The city and all HSV fans are eager for this game, and the team is gearing up to deliver a performance that could change their fortunes.
