Season

A new week of training underway ahead of Elversberg

The Rothosen are back out on the training pitch in preparation for their clash with SVE. Centre-back Dennis Hadzikadunic is absent for now due to a knee joint injury, while Lucas Perrin eyes an inclusion in the starting line-up.

Hamburger SV are currently on a run to be proud of after winger Emir Sahiti (pictured) and his side have gone unbeaten in their last six league fixtures (W4, D2). On top of that, they showed class in defeating top-of-the-table rivals Düsseldorf (3-0) and Magdeburg (3-1) in their last two matches. The next league fixture awaits this coming Saturday, when they will travel to face SV Elversberg (kick-off 13:00 CEST). This is set to be a clash of very contrasting clubs as the smallest club in the second division takes on the formerly longest-standing club in the top-flight on matchday 10. Before their promotion in the season before last, SVE were yet to participate in the second-tier of German football. After achieving an 11th-placed finish in the previous campaign they are impressing once again, sitting on 13 points already and in eighth position in the table, despite some notable departures over the summer. SVE are also widely known for playing good football under head coach Horst Steffen.

Hadzikadunic absent as Perrin prepares for starting XI debut

Therefore, the upcoming opponent is certainly not one to be underestimated. That is the mindset that HSV head coach Steffen Baumgart was aiming to impart on his players when he led their first training session of the week on Tuesday afternoon. The 52-year-old had to do without Dennis Hadzikadunic (pictured) and Silvan Hefti for the team’s latest game at home to Magdeburg. The centre-back suffered an injury to the joint in his knee following a turn he made in training and will be unavailable to HSV for the time being. The full-back completed a session of running once again today after incurring some back problems recently.

After captain Sebastian Schonlau was handed a two-match suspension following his red card, Lucas Perrin has therefore come into focus due to the vacant centre-back position. The defender celebrated his competitive debut in HSV colours last time out, giving a strong, convincing showing in the last 30 minutes of the match. “He has been working really hard to get up to speed, used the friendly match well and did what we wanted of him in the competitive match. He will start at the weekend. We can safely say that, to deny it would be silly,” Baumgart revealed to the media at the end of the training session. He added further praise: “Lucas is a very experienced player who has integrated well into the team.”

The 25-year-old French defender made up one of the 27 outfield players as well as five goalkeepers who attended Tuesday’s training session at the Volksparkstadion. Absent were those injured long-term, Hadzikadunic, Robert Glatzel und Valon Zumberi. Following the warm-up led by athletics coach Daniel Müssig, the Rothosen completed some game situation training as well as passing practice, after which the starting line-up from the weekend then left the pitch as a way of managing their workload. For the remaining players, including the five goalkeepers, the session ramped up. The following training sessions will then continue in a similar vein to be best prepared for Elversberg. “We know what to expect of the game in Elversberg. We are preparing for a team that is good on the ball, but on whom we will try to impose our own way of playing,” Baumgart disclosed regarding the approach to the game.