Merlin Polzin's Hamburg finding feet back in the Bundesliga
After a mixed start to their Bundesliga return, Hamburg are now quietly heading in the right direction. With 12 games of the season left, Merlin Polzin’s men can begin to look up rather than only down the table…
On Matchday 22, Hamburg picked up a narrow 3-2 victory over Union Berlin, in part thanks to Ransford-Yeboah Königsdörffer’s brace, to move up to ninth. It was also their second straight victory, meaning they are now unbeaten in their previous five Bundesliga meetings, losing just one of their past seven.
The latest victory came on a special occasion – the clash with Union Berlin was HSV’s 1887th in the Bundesliga, the same number as the year of their foundation. After the match, head coach Polzin was unsurprisingly delighted with his team as they rose to the occasion.
Watch: Hamburg 3-2 Union Berlin - highlights
“We deliberately said that we wanted to get a win, and the way we achieved it makes me all the happier because it shows that we can overcome setbacks and play successful football."
Indeed, Hamburg fell behind against the Iron Ones before scoring three goals without reply to take control of the encounter. While Andrej Ilić halved the deficit late on for the visitors, Polzin’s outfit saw out the remainder of the game to secure the points.
In some ways, the weekend was built on the strengths that Hamburg have shown already throughout this season. Their home form has been impressive, with this their fifth win at the Volksparkstadion in 11 attempts – their 19 points in front of their own supporters is eighth-highest amongst Germany’s elite.
However, it also followed a new trend that has developed over the past three matchdays. After scoring just 18 goals across their opening 17 league fixtures of the campaign, Hamburg have now struck at least twice in their past three and seven in total. That works out at an increase of 1.4 goals per match – a significant improvement.
That new offensive threat has caught up with Hamburg’s defensive stability, which has enabled them to remain competitive so far this term. They have three clean sheets in their past five matches, and have conceded 31 times overall – only the division’s top six have shipped fewer.
Luka Vušković, in particular, has been a rock at the back. Not only have the Tottenham Hotspur loanee’s performances earned him three Bundesliga Rookie of the Month awards, but he has also popped up with four goals, including a late equaliser in the recent 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich and the 2025 Bundesliga Goal of the Year versus Werder Bremen.
Watch: Luka Vušković is January's Rookie of the Month
The 18-year-old has stolen the headlines, yet others such as Miro Muheim, Nicolas Capaldo and Jordan Torunarigha have also impressed. At the other end of the pitch, Fábio Vieira has provided technical quality, while Königsdorffer’s three goals in the past two games have seen him move second in the club’s goal rankings behind Rayan Philippe.
Looking ahead, the upcoming visit to Mainz is crucial on several levels. Not only would victory enable Hamburg to move seven points clear of a relegation rival, but it would also see them win three successive top-flight games for the first time in 15 years.
Perhaps more importantly, it would further boost Hamburg’s away form, which appears to have turned a corner. The only side not to win a game on the road until Matchday 21, HSV ended their drought with a hard-fought triumph at Heidenheim, another of their main competitors, as they look to beat the drop.
Watch: Heidenheim 0-2 Hamburg - highlights
Although Polzin was eager to downplay Hamburg’s struggles on their travels, he could not deny that it removed a weight from his players’ shoulders. “It's less important whether you get points away or at home, but rather that we ultimately reach the necessary points total.
“We know the power of the Volksparkstadion, but we also know that away from home, we not only have to deliver a good performance like in recent months, but also secure three points to achieve our goal. We're delighted to have won this challenging match and finally secured our first away victory."
As such, that was HSV’s first away Bundesliga victory in eight years. Of course, a seven-season stint in the second tier separated the two, with Hamburg’s desire to return to the Bundesliga during that spell no secret. Now back in the big time, they are starting to hit their stride, and the danger of another relegation is decreasing each passing week.
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