Polzin: “It should be a great game”

HSV head coach Merlin Polzin spoke at a well-attended press conference in the Volksparkstadion media room on Thursday ahead of the team’s return to competitive action in 2025. Before league leaders 1. FC Köln visit a sold-out Volksparkstadion on Saturday, the Hamburg coach spoke about the opponent, his own team and what a special game it should be at the weekend. Merlin Polzin on ...

… squad updates: Noah Katterbach’s injury was a big shock for everyone, but his operation went well. We obviously wish him a successful and speedy recovery. Bobby Glatzel and Matheo Raab are both still completing their rehabilitation, while Fabio Balde has also been training individually as a precautionary measure. Ludovit Reis is making very good progress and will rejoin the team next week. Sebastian Schonlau, Davie Selke and Ransford Königsdörffer have gradually upped their workload this week and all three could make the squad at the weekend.

… the mood in camp: Being able to work for HSV is never going to be anything less than special both for me and the rest of my coaching staff. That is the type of feeling we want to instil in the team, as well as the everyone else at the club. We hope this feeling can help us to perform at our best, not just in terms of the sporting side of things but in all departments. The aim has been the same for several years. We are driven by the clear goal that we have in mind and have clear guidelines in place for achieving this for this. We set ourselves targets every single day, which we analyse very critically. We strive for a repeated high level of intensity in the hope for steady improvement. I think the boys do that well.

“It will be a topsy-turvy sort of match but it should be a great game between two promotion-hopefuls”

… the match against 1. FC Köln: The energy of the sold-out stadium is sure to be felt on the pitch so I’m expecting a really special game of football. We are more determined to win. In our preparation, we have looked to be more active off the ball to protect our box better, play with flexibility and variability in attack and to always think offensively. However, we are up against a very strong opponent who possesses great individual quality. Köln impressed with a great run of games leading up to the winter break. It will be a topsy-turvy sort of match but it should be a great game between two promotion-hopefuls. We are feeling good and ready to get going again, especially for such a special contest.