)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
08.10.2026
“That’s one of the reasons why I joined HSV”
Sebastiaan Bornauw has recovered from his muscular problems and returned to the pitch in the friendly against FC Copenhagen. In this interview, he talks about his injury-related absence, taking responsibility and the support of the HSV fans in Hoffenheim.
HSV.de: Seb, you were able to use the international break to recover from your muscular problems and return to the pitch in the friendly against FC Copenhagen (2-0). So did the Bundesliga break come at the best possible time for you?
Sebastiaan Bornauw: It’s obviously not a bad thing to have two or three weeks to get back into things. In fact, I was almost ready for the game against Cologne. I was close. I really wanted to play because Cologne is a former club of mine. But that’s football. The international break was important not only for me, but for the whole team, because we had several weeks of training together and were able to develop our understanding even further.
You were forced to watch from the sidelines during the 5-0 defeat in Leipzig and the 2-1 win against Cologne. What emotions do you experience when you have to watch a game rather than being involved yourself?
I’m more stressed when I can’t play. (laughs) I just want to be able to intervene. For example, the stress levels were high against Cologne; I just wanted the game to be over. Then, after the final whistle, the emotions came out and we celebrated the win. They were three very important points for us.
)
When you signed, board member Kathleen Krüger and sporting director Claus Costa highlighted not only your qualities as a footballer but also your leadership skills. How have you already been able to bring those qualities to your new surroundings?
I help wherever I can. That’s just the way I am. I act according to my values because I want to help the team. I’m not afraid to take responsibility, especially in situations where there is pressure. When things aren’t going so well, I’m the kind of person who wants to xcstep up and lead from the front. Otherwise, I tend to be quieter and observe more than I speak.
What does taking responsibility mean to you?
As a team, we have a common goal, and everyone has to pull in the same direction to achieve it. If, for example, someone isn’t pulling their weight, I would speak to them directly. I’m not afraid to initiate respectful discussions. At the end of the day, what matters most to me is that we find the best solution for the team together. On the pitch, I probably take responsibility simply because of my position. As a centre-back, you see more of the game and can assess certain situations differently.
The team looked more solid in the wins against Copenhagen and Cologne. How did you manage that?
The games against Copenhagen and Cologne gave us a good feeling. We know what kind of quality we have in the squad. We firmly believe that things will get even better with time. We’re a team that tries to press. I like that because I’m a player who enjoys defending aggressively from the back. However, pressing is one of the most difficult things in football. Everything has to be perfectly coordinated. If, for example, one player reacts just one second too late, you can easily be played through. We have a lot of new players and it takes time for everyone to internalise it to the point where we can press without having to think about it. That’s why it hasn’t quite worked the way we would have liked so far. For that reason, we first had to make sure we were more compact again.
)
How have you settled in at HSV so far?
Of course, I first had to find my feet because I joined a new team and had to get to know the other players. That takes time, just as it does with pressing. But I’ve felt very comfortable from the first day. I made a conscious decision to join HSV and, so far, my expectations have been met. That makes me very happy.
In your career, you have only played against two other teams more often than against TSG Hoffenheim (10 times). To what extent can that experience help you on Saturday?
It actually doesn’t make any difference to me. The fact is that I’ve never played against their current team with my current manager. If that had happened so many times already, it would probably be different because I would know exactly what to expect. But I know that Hoffenheim are actually a good team. At the moment, though, they’re not really in a good run of form. It certainly won’t be an easy game for us. But we’ll give our best to bring something back to Hamburg.
And how much importance do you attach to runs and statistics? You are unbeaten in your last four games against Hoffenheim.
If it were the other way around, I would probably say that a run is there to be ended. So it’s not that important to me either. We have a plan, and I hope we can execute it well. I’m hoping that we can put in a good performance. That’s what matters to me.
Many thousands of HSV fans are expected in Hoffenheim again. Last season, 15,000 Hamburg supporters were present. What do you make of that?
It’s incredible! That’s one of the reasons why I joined HSV. This kind of support is what sets a traditional club apart. It’s an incredible feeling when you’re playing away and it feels like you’re playing at home. As a player, that gives you so much energy and motivation. So I’m really looking forward to it.
Advertisement