Match Preview

Matchday Compact: All info on the relegation second leg

The final match of the season will take place on Monday evening. For the second leg of the Bundesliga relegation against Hertha BSC, here is all the important information in a nutshell, as always in the "Matchday Compact".

Tonight (Monday evening, 23 May) is the second leg of the relegation play-off - and with it the ultimate final for promotion to the Bundesliga. HSV will go into the second leg with a 1-0 lead after the first leg, and Hertha BSC will be determined to win it with all their might in order to turn around the overall comparison. Thrills and goosebumps are therefore pre-programmed when the match kicks off at 20:30 CEST (live on HSVnetradio). As usual, we have summarised briefly and succinctly in our "Matchday compact" the personnel line-ups of both teams for this match of matches and what else you should know about this showdown.

The personnel situation

Four days after the first leg of the Bundesliga relegation, the second leg is coming up - a challenge not only for the coaching team and the squad, but also for the entire staff including doctors and physiotherapists. "In the days between the first leg and the second leg, the only thing that matters is to regenerate well in order to regain power and strength by Monday evening," Tim Walter explained at the press conference on Sunday, adding: "During this time, every player is managed individually, which is why some of them were not on the training pitch, but worked individually. Because it's all about the game on Monday night, nothing else, and until then the full focus is on health, so we have all the men there." In this respect, things are looking good, even players such as Jonas Meffert or Bakery Jatta, who were among the players named by Walter who were not present on the training pitch, are expected to be healthy and fit and able to play on Monday evening. There are also no suspensions to complain about, so that the coach should have the entire team together and his regulars on board, apart from Tim Leibold (rehabilitation training after tearing his cruciate ligament) and Anssi Suhonen (fractured fibula).

The opponents

Hertha BSC went into the relegation as a Bundesliga team and thus slightly favoured. This circumstance turned around after the 0:1 defeat in the first leg, from which coach Felix Magath (photo), however, also draws positives. "You clearly have to take the situation as it is," Magath said in the press conference before the trip to Hamburg, "at the moment we're out, so we can only win. The situation is now reversed compared to Thursday, now HSV are the ones with something to lose, so now the pressure is on HSV. That's why I see the situation as the better one for us now and I think we'll have a good chance to turn it around in the second leg. We are ready for the game on Monday night." Santiago Ascacibar, who is fit to play again after his suspension, and Kevin-Prince Boateng, who has not been included recently, are also likely to be in Berlin's starting eleven then. You can read more about who and what you should watch out for at Hertha in our detailed opponent check.

The stadium experience

"All in blue to the Volkspark!" - is the motto of the relegation return match at Hamburg's Volksparkstadion, which will be filled to capacity. With this joint campaign, HSV and its fan scene want to create a unique atmosphere, which should also be expressed visually. It will be loud anyway, as the 6,000 Berlin supporters will be opposed by 51,000 HSV fans who will be totally euphoric going into this final match. Last game of the season, home game, floodlit atmosphere and the unique chance to return to the Bundesliga and celebrate - the HSV players can look forward to an atmosphere and a background noise they have probably never experienced before in their - mostly very young - careers. The Volkspark will be shaking and the fans will want to give everything to give their team the tailwind it needs to ultimately be promoted to the Bundesliga. Fortress Volkspark!

Matchday at HSV

The relegation second leg will be broadcast on SAT1 and on SKY. In addition, of course, the various and diverse HSV channels will be there for you to follow the season finale up close and personal.

HSVnetradio - 90 minutes up close and emotional. HSVnetradio will be there live with a lot of expertise, a good dose of humour and, of course, a bit of commentary through the blue, white and black HSV glasses. The two commentators Broder-Jürgen Trede (l.) and Lars Wegener will report from 8.15 p.m. with the preliminary coverage and then follow the action for you for 90 minutes (and in an emergency also in extra time and the penalty shootout) and bring you the stadium feeling and the season final at home or on the go on your smartphone - or also on the Alexa voice assistant, because the stream can also be accessed via our HSV Alexa stream. Simply say "Alexa open HSV" on the Amazon voice assistant and off you go!

HSV.de – You can follow the match live in the live ticker, as you will be served the latest news every two to three minutes.

Twitter – Here you can get all the information live, as well as on Facebook and Instagram, where you can find news, scores and photos about the game.

HSVtv – As a subscriber, you can watch the game again as a re-live after the final whistle and get all the voices on the game.

HSVlive –As a subscriber, you can watch the game again as a re-live after the final whistle and get all the voices on the game.