Training camp

Day 1 in Schneverdingen complete

The Rothosen completed their first session at the training camp in Schnerverdingen on Monday. New signing Daniel Elfadli was involved for the first time.

The start of a new season is somewhat similar to the first day of a new school year. There are plenty of new faces about, but also a number of familiar ones, with everyone involved both excited and a little bit nervous. These feelings applied to Hamburger SV as they began preparations for the 2024/25 season, although the team had to go on a trip instead of starting their work at the Volksparkstadion, which is currently being used for UEFA EURO 2024 matches. After eating breakfast together at the team hotel Grand Elysee, the 29-man squad set off on the 65-kilometre journey to Schneverdingen. The Rothosen will be based there until 6th July for the first of two summer training camps.

All eyes on Elfadli

One of the 29 players is new signing Daniel Elfadli. The 27-year-old midfielder joined the club on Monday morning (1st July) and is HSV’s first new signing ahead of the new campaign. The defensive midfielder, who has arrived from fellow second-division club 1. FC Magdeburg, had a number of new faces to get to know on his first day, including centre-back Dennis Hadzikadunic’s. The Bosnia and Herzegovina international has extended his loan stay with HSV by another year.

There was plenty of focus on Elfadli on the training ground, with the midfielder having already completed two weeks of pre-season training with FCM and therefore looking in good shape. Head coach Steffen Baumgart, who took charge of HSV in mid-February, is now set for his pre-season with the club. The 52-year-old started the first session in Schnerverdingen at exactly 16:15, beginning it with a warm-up and some activation drills. Following a short team talk, the Rothosen completed a passing drill, during which Baumgart was as vocal as ever throughout. The coach then split the squad up into three teams for a 7v7 game on a small pitch, with the spare team doing some strength exercises on the side of the pitch. The players did this for a whole hour and slowly got back into the swing of things with the ball at their feet.

“We know we have to improve certain things and we’ll now work on them”

That was also the aim for day 1 in Schnerverdingen. “We firstly just wanted to get used to our surroundings and having a ball involved again,” explained Baumgart after the session. “It’s a good setup here and the lads are happy with it. Tomorrow will see us really step the intensity up, today was only a gentle start.” The former Bundesliga striker feels that the experiences and work together over the past few weeks and months will definitely prove helpful. “The lads and I have already had the chance to get to know one another and learn how we react to certain things. It’s something we can then build on. We know we have to improve certain things and we’ll now work on them.”