Team

Fabio Vieira: Neuer Spielgestalter im Volkspark

Deadline-day signing Fabio Vieira is all set to pull the strings in attacking midfield for the Rothosen. The 25-year-old is ready for a second consecutive season on loan overseas – this time with a different type of challenge.

When you watch Fabio Vieira dribbling with the ball, guiding a pass or attempting a shot, he makes it all look so easy. The Portuguese midfielder not only possesses outstanding close control, but can also fire in a cross or accurately attempt a shot with his wand of a left foot. Vieira is a born technician, or as HSV board member for sport Stefan Kuntz described him, ‘a classic playmaker’.

Since Vieira’s loan move from Arsenal FC was finalised on deadline day, spectators at the Volkspark have been treated to glimpses of the midfielder’s superb skills on a couple of occasions. On Tuesday, the new signing took part in his first HSV training session, before coming on to make his debut for the club two days later in the friendly against Hannover 96. “Those 30 minutes were the first of this new campaign for me. I played in the Club World Cup with Porto and so it’s been a long pre-season. It was a great feeling to be back out there on the pitch,” said Vieira during a post-match media session.

Vieira scored three goals and tallied ten assists in 49 competitive appearances for Arsenal.

Outstanding education and experience abroad

Fabio Vieira returned to Porto on loan last summer, where he had originally come through as a youth prospect, and made 42 competitive appearances across the 2024/25 season. During his time with the renowned development setup at the Portuguese giants, he played for a number of youth teams from the age of eight, going on to sign his first professional contract at the club before moving to North London in the summer of 2022. He set Arsenal fans’ hearts racing with his incredible ball control, not least as they were able to revive a chant created for club hero and the midfielder’s namesake Patrick Vieira.

Vieira’s first taste of professional football outside of Portugal simultaneously brought a number of other changes for the playmaker – a new country, a new culture, a new league. Across two seasons in the English capital, he made 49 competitive appearances for the ‘Gunners’, often being deployed as a substitute, but struggled to continue his development after sustaining a groin injury in 2023/24. Back at Porto last year, Vieira once again proved his class with extensive minutes for the side, notching crucial goal involvements along the way.

Board member for sport Stefan Kuntz and director of football Claus Costa see the 25-year-old playmaker as an important component in the HSV attack.

A new challenge at HSV

The next exciting challenge awaiting Vieira at Hamburger SV is something new to the player. Instead of competing for trophies, the team’s aim for the season is to keep their place in the top flight: ”It’s obviously a new situation for me as a player. We’re going to have to fight for the three points in every single game. That needs to be our mindset this year,” said the 25-year-old, who is feeling confident for the season ahead. “The team have made a fantastic impression on me. The guys are brilliant. Now we have to gel as a team as quickly as we can in order to have a chance to get something out of every match.”

It’s expected that Vieira will play a key role for the Rothosen this year. The new signing is set to bolster the options in attacking midfield, someone who can read games and help decide results with his ability to set the tempo and provide a spark going forwards. “I can play as a number 10 as well as out on the right wing. I love to operate in the half spaces between the lines, and I can be decisive in the final third, providing assists or scoring goals,” said Vieira when asked about his abilities. He isn’t feeling put off by the pressure from the expectations surrounding the club and himself. “Every player has to deal with pressure, it’s a part of the game. At the end of the day, I’m just another player in the team who will try to play his part so that we can achieve our goals together.

Fabio Vieira and Sambi Lokonga have known each other a long time, and are helping each other to settle in.

Settling in quickly

In order to be successful at HSV, Fabio Vieira wants to settle in as quickly as possible in every respect. Along with his family, something making the process easier for him is a reunion with teammate Sambi Lokonga. “It’s helpful for both of us, especially in the early days. It’s particularly useful when it comes to getting familiar with things off the pitch. The on-pitch chemistry between us is already there, even if we haven’t played together for a while.” The duo are excited to recreate the footballing partnership that saw them win nine of eleven games played together at Arsenal – hopefully in what might be their first competitive game for the Rothosen. A week on Saturday, HSV face none other than record German champions Bayern München in the weekend’s primetime Bundesliga fixture. “We still have a lot of work ahead of us, but of course you always look forward to games like these,” said Vieira. “FC Bayern unquestionably have one of the best squads in the world. Everyone knows how strong they are. It’s going to be a very difficult game for us, but we’re going to give it everything we’ve got.”

There is an equal measure of belief and realism in Vieira’s first words as a HSV player. The 25-year-old isn’t a boisterous presence on or off the pitch, but rather a playmaker who lets his quality on the ball do the talking. And being such a born technician, he has all the skills to back it up.