Status: 28.08.2025 4:09 p.m.
On Friday evening, HSV has been asking FC St. Pauli to the first Hamburg city derby in the Bundesliga for 14 years, which at that time the neighborhood club won 1-0. The hosts rely on their fans in the sold -out folk park stadium as a twelfth man and the promotion euphoria, but have a lot of respect for the opponent, who recently impondered Borussia Dortmund.
When both Hamburg football professional clubs were on February 16, 2011 until the last time in Germany’s Beletage, the legendary stadium clock was still in the Volksparkstadion, on which the first division of the Bundesliga “Dinos” was read. And the HSV anthem was still “Hamburg My Pearl” by Lotto King Karl, in which others (much more successful) teams are mocked. “If you come from Leverkusen, leave the goalkeeper right at home,” it says, for example.
Past. The watch was left behind after relegation in 2018 and the hymn replaced. Now the HSV fans sing the song “My Hamburg very much” from the band before every game! from full throats.
And on Friday evening (8:30 p.m., in the live center at NDR.de) before the duel with St. Pauli, it will definitely be a little louder than usual. Because: “We won’t play eleven against eleven on Friday. But we are at least 50,000 HSVers who will do everything we can to get the derby victory. And that makes me feel very good,” said coach Merlin Polzin.
Polzin: “For me, HSV is Hamburg”
For the native of Hamburg, who was a teenager himself in the curve of the Volksparkstadion, it is his first city derby as a head coach. As an assistant coach, the 34-year-old has already witnessed some-but two in League. Polzin was asked at the press conference on Wednesday whether it was something special for him to stand as a person responsible in this always electrifying duel on the sidelines.
“I haven’t thought about that yet,” replied the promotion coach. He tried to downplay his own role. The football teacher did not hide the fact that the game for the club, the supporters and the team is not a game like any other: “For me, HSV is Hamburg, the HSV is also the north for me. And of course the conviction is also there that we can win this game.”
HSV coach hopes for a peaceful derby
After the bumpy preparation and the almost surprisingly decent performance of the Bundesliga start of the Bundesliga last Sunday at Borussia Mönchengladbach (0-0), the surprisingly decent performance will help to go to the city derby very confidently.
“The boys are very, very ready for this game,” the coach assured. At the same time, the 34-year-old emphasized several times how appreciative he on the city rival looks. “We have great respect for what FC St. Pauli has achieved in recent years,” said Polzin, but then to complement: “But the full focus is on us.”
The trainer, who was a die-hard HSV fan as a young person and also accompanied the team on away trips, was also important to put an appeal to the fans. In addition to all rivalry, it should be about “that it is very peaceful about the stadium when it comes to arrival and departure,” said the coach, “should be in the top priority in Hamburg.”
HSV supporters meet in Altona, St. Pauli-Ultras.
In the past second division derbies, the police had the situation well under control. On Friday, too, she will again try to keep the supporters of both clubs away from each other before the high -risk game in the Volkspark.
The law enforcement officers will of course also accompany the announced fan marches to the stadium. The followers of the HSV meet at 3 p.m. at the Republic Square in Altona to go to the Volkspark together. The Ultras of FC St. Pauli called on a march from 4.15 p.m. from the Millerntor Stadium. In fact, this is more of a fan trip. Because the request of the Ultras is to get to the arena on the neighborhood by bike or scooter.
St. Pauli wants to break derby spell
In the Volksparkstadion, the followers of the team of coach Alexander Blessin – St. Pauli received around 6,000 tickets – then clearly outnumbered. But what she will certainly not prevent it from being very loud. And in general, St. Pauli will not be and does not need to hide at the HSV.
“It’s a great thing. It is unparalleled throughout Germany.”
Alexander Blessin, coach of FC St. Pauli
After all, the Kiezclub has been back in the Bundesliga for a year longer than the city rival and last Saturday showed 3: 3 spectacle against Dortmund that its squad is probably even better than in the overall pre-season very convincing. The signs seem cheap for St. Pauli, after three not won derbies on Friday in the Volksparkstadion.
Blessin’s strategy: “With a cool head and hot heart”
“It is a great thing. It is unparalleled throughout Germany. This is now a big deal. And we look forward to it,” said coach Alexander Blessin, for whom it is the first Hamburg city derby. The fact that his St. Paulians could not win against HSV recently played no role for the 52-year-old in preparation for the game. His strategy is: “Go with a cool head and hot heart.”
Blessin may also speculate a little that the HSV is crushed by the expectation pressure of its fans or overthrown emotionally. Then the chances would be even better for the neighborhood club, such as kidnapping three Bundesliga points from the Volkspark in 2011. But according to Blessin, the game from back then is not an issue with his team. “We want to go back to the history books. We want to write our own story,” said the coach combative.
Possible lists of HSV and St. Pauli
- Hamburger SV: Heuer Fernandes – Omari, Elfadli, Torunarigha – Gocholeishvili, Capaldo, Remberg, Muheim – Sahiti, Königsdörffer, Dompé
- FC St. Pauli: Vasilj – Wahl, Smith, Dwigala – Pyrka, Sands, Fujita, Oppie – Sinani – Hountondji, Pereira Lage
