In his seventh season in the 2nd Bundesliga, the HSV could finally be promoted. A few weeks ago, the club was rarely bad. Then the wizard came.
It already had something magical that Ransford Königsdörffer organized in Berlin a week ago on Saturday evening. The attacker of Hamburger SV had just been substituted in the guest performance of his team at Hertha BSC, when he promoted the ball so fantastically into the corner of the housing of the home team that Hertha goalkeeper Marius Gersbeck could only look after astonishment-and with him more than 71,000 Viewer present in the capital’s Olympic Stadium.
The North Germans led 2-0 to Königsdörffer’s goal in Berlin. In the end, after a storm run by the Berliner, the HSV trembled to a 3-2 success, which was also due to the efficiency of the “red pants” and not just the pure happiness. Because, according to XGoals statistics, Hertha should have scored 2.5 goals, the HSV only had a 0.6 at the expected goals. Nevertheless, the Hamburgers finally cheered three times. That also reminded of magic that evening in Berlin.
Accordingly, the fact that the mood in the Hanseatic city is significantly better than it was at the end of November are understandable. The exponential increase of the mood in and around the club is closely linked to a name: Merlin Polzin. The 34-year-old, who bears the same first name as the well-known but probably fictional magician from the legend of King Arthur, has breathed new life in HSV since taking office around two months ago-and is on the best way with the club that To make impossible possible.
The impossible to date has been the return to the Bundesliga in Hamburg for around six and a half years. Because the club, actually one of the top favorites on the climb every season in the German Lower House, has repeatedly failed because of the years in a grotesque way of this project-and that with partially renowned coaches like Hannes Wolf, Dieter Hecking or Daniel Thioune .
Three times as a result of the HSV at the beginning of its second division period, fourth in the final table, the promotion places always missed one rank. In 2022 and 2023, the Hanseates then reached third place, so in the relegation around the last starter of the upcoming Bundesliga season were allowed to duel with the top of the upper house. But at that time, HSV pulled the shorter against both Hertha BSC and VfB Stuttgart.
A year after the bankruptcy against the Swabians, the Hamburgers then finished fourth for the fourth time in six seasons. Coach Steffen Baumgart had great hopes to be able to tear the helm around again in the promotion race. Tim Walter, who had looked after the HSV for two and a half years, had previously been released after a 3: 4 bankruptcy against Hannover 96. Baumgart took over, but he didn’t want to succeed either.
A few months later, the 53-year-old was history in Hamburg again. After a 2: 2 against Schalke on the 13th matchday of the current season, Baumgart had to go. At that time, the HSV had only 20 points in the account and had slipped to eighth place. At that time, the team was only there once in the second Bundesliga in terms of scene, in terms of the placement.
In January 2025 the situation is different. Before the 20th matchday, the HSV suddenly greeted the table in the table in the table. The former Bundesliga dino was at the top with pursuer Cologne until Saturday. After the victory of the Bundesliga relegation on Saturday against Braunschweig, the HSV has slipped for the time being, however, plans to take over the lead again in the north-duel with Hannover 96 (from 1.30 p.m. in the live ticker at T-Online)-and after the cathedral city (1-0) and the Hertha to Nieder the next top -class carpenter in the 2nd Bundesliga in the new year. Polzzin’s merit is that it appears like a very realistic scenario.