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Hamburg head coach Merlin Polzin insists his team remain on a positive trajectory despite Tuesday’s 1-3 DFB-Pokal elimination against Eintracht Frankfurt. The Hanseatic Reds will have an immediate opportunity to respond when they visit the same opponents in the Bundesliga on Sunday evening, although the club’s considerable injury problems continue to complicate preparations.
HSV entered Tuesday’s cup encounter without six regular starters and lost a seventh when defender Sebastiaan Bornauw was forced off shortly before halftime. Frankfurt subsequently scored three second-half goals to eliminate the hosts from the competition.
The defeat represented another setback for a Hamburg side that had recently recovered from a disastrous start to the Bundesliga campaign. After losing their first three league fixtures by a combined score of 12-0, Polzin’s team responded with three consecutive victories, only to find themselves increasingly stretched by injuries. The situation has become particularly difficult in defense, where the coach has repeatedly been forced to shuffle his personnel. Nevertheless, Friday’s pre-match press conference brought some encouraging news.
Polzin sees positive signs despite Pokal disappointment
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s visit to Frankfurt, Polzin insisted that neither the DFB-Pokal defeat nor last weekend’s unexpected league loss against newly promoted Bundesliga outfit SC Paderborn 07 had undermined his confidence in the team’s development.
“We’re currently on an absolutely positive upward trajectory,” Polzin explained. “The process continues, and step by step, you can see what we’re trying to do on the pitch.”
Polzin acknowledged the disappointment of Tuesday’s elimination, particularly because HSV had approached the competition with considerable ambition. The 35-year-old also expressed frustration over a penalty decision that went against his team.
“When, three days later, everyone suddenly agrees that a penalty should have been awarded, that hurts twice as much,” Polzin remarked.
The Hamburg trainer nevertheless stressed that Sunday’s encounter would present an entirely different challenge. While his players could draw lessons from the cup match, he rejected the notion that a Bundesliga victory would somehow reverse the disappointment of elimination.
“We can’t put anything right because it’s a completely different competition,” Polzin said.
Rather than concentrating excessively on Frankfurt, the coach wants his players to focus on improving their own performance. He called for HSV to be “even more precise and show even more courage” in Sunday’s contest.
The optimism reflects Polzin’s continued faith in the approach that helped HSV recover from their dreadful opening weeks. His tactical adjustments, particularly the increased emphasis on defensive compactness, helped restore stability after the team initially struggled to implement a more ambitious possession-based approach.
Torunarigha returns, Bornauw remains doubtful
Hamburg’s injury crisis has nevertheless become increasingly difficult to manage. Captain Nicolai Remberg remains sidelined with an ACL injury. The midfielder’s absence has already forced significant adjustments to HSV’s midfield.
Defensive leader Nicolas Capaldo is also unavailable because of muscular problems, while Bilal Nadir, Fabio Vieira, and Yussuf Poulsen remain sidelined with their respective injuries. Polzin did, however, confirm that Jordan Torunarigha will return to the matchday squad after recovering from muscular problems. The defender’s availability provides some welcome relief for a back line that has been severely depleted in recent weeks.
The situation surrounding Sebastiaan Bornauw remains less certain. The Belgian was substituted after sustaining a blow to his jaw during Tuesday’s defeat and has since returned to training. Polzin nevertheless emphasized that the coaching staff would not rush him back into competitive action.
“It’s about whether he feels stable enough to be at 100 percent in every challenge,” Polzin explained. “We want to be absolutely certain that he feels good. But I hope the question mark becomes an exclamation mark.”
Bornauw’s potential absence would represent another substantial problem for Polzin. The Belgian, Capaldo, and Torunarigha comprised HSV’s preferred defensive trio at the beginning of the campaign. As Get German Football News previously examined during Hamburg’s early-season defensive difficulties, the club’s younger defenders have repeatedly been called upon to assume responsibilities usually reserved for more experienced professionals.
Daka and Moffi provide attacking alternatives
There is more encouraging news in attack. Patson Daka, who made his return from injury during Tuesday’s cup encounter, and Terem Moffi are both fully fit for Sunday’s Bundesliga fixture.
“The boys in attack are ready to play a lot and give everything,” Polzin explained. “We have confidence in our squad. The full focus is on the boys who are available.”
HSV travel to the Waldstadion on Sunday for the second meeting between the two sides in five days. Frankfurt will again be seeking to exploit the visitors’ defensive vulnerabilities, but Polzin hopes the return of several players and continued progress in training will make for a more competitive encounter.
The immediate challenge is clear. Hamburg must demonstrate that their recent Bundesliga revival was no fluke.
