Auflisten in concern
HSV loses the last test – team not yet ready
Updated on 10.08.2025 – 4:05 p.m.Reading time: 3 min.
Hamburger SV is subject to 0: 2. After six test game defeats, the unrest grows. The Bundesliga start in Mönchengladbach will be scheduled for two weeks.
The HSV also lost its last test game before the start of the season. Against the Spanish first division club RCD Mallorca, the Bundesliga returnee lost 0-2 on Saturday evening. A week before the DFB Cup game at the top division FK Pirmasens and two weeks before the Bundesliga start at Borussia Mönchengladbach, the team was neither defensive nor offensive.
Head coach Merlin Polzin was concerned after the game: “Of course we hoped that we were further.” Only in the second half did the Hamburg have occasionally showed good approaches. The ex-Bochum Takuma Asano put the hosts in the lead in the 13th minute. Miro Muheim underwent a curious own goal in the 59th minute when he transported the ball into his own goal almost unexpectedly. Defender Jordan Torunarigha saw the red card in the 90th minute after a rough foul.
Defensive player Daniel Elfadli admitted: “That was not the result that we expected or hoped for. We mostly had too little access to the game.” Nevertheless, he claims: “We are up to date.”
Previously, the Hamburgers had already received defeats in the tests against the Danish champion FC Copenhagen (0: 1), the Austrian title holder Sturm Graz (1: 2), Olympique Lyon (0: 4) and the future league competitor SC Freiburg (0: 4). Only in the first part of a double test against SC Freiburg did they reach a 1: 1.
Midfielder Nicolai Remberg tries to interpret the series of defeats positively: “These were all the best opponents. We are now seeing what we are still missing. That’s why I’m actually in good spirits.”
The head coach had always emphasized to deliberately choose quality teams as test opponents. The games should primarily show his team the weaknesses. The goal was achieved in any case. Several mistakes were uncovered in the games.
“In the plan that we set up in the coaching team before the summer preparation, there are still many details that are gradually being added,” said Polzin in an interview on the club homepage before the Mallorca game. “However, our focus is now on the fact that we implement the content we have developed under competition conditions.”
The squad of the 2025/26 season has little to do with that of the promotion season. Numerous heroes wanted to change or had to change, such as Ludovit Reis (FC Bruges) or 22-goal man Davie Selke (Basaksehir FK).
Other actors like still captain Sebastian Schonlau no longer play a role, Robert Glatzel at least a smaller one for years. Glatzel’s Sturm colleague Ransford Königsdörffer would like to take the next step in his career, but currently has to digest the disappointment about the burst transfer to OGC Nice.
The decision for the great upheaval was based on the analysis and the knowledge of the coaching team around Polzin that it was not enough with the way and the skills of most HSV promotion heroes.