Training camp

A look back at HSV’s first day at the training camp in Herzogenaurach

Hamburger SV have started their training camp in Herzogenaurach, Franconia. In the unique setting of the adidas Home Ground, the Rothosen aim are aiming to step up their preparations as they began in the afternoon with their first training session.

In Herzogenaurach, Middle Franconia, the adidas Home Ground offers a unique atmosphere. Located at the headquarters of Germany’s largest sportswear manufacturer, it features 15 bungalows, numerous meeting rooms, a large pool, and nearby sports facilities, all designed to foster team spirit and a sporting environment. This venue was used by the German men’s national team during the 2021 and 2024 European Championships, which is why it’s often compared to the legendary base camp of the German squad during the 2014 World Cup in Campo Bahia, Brazil. Most recently, it hosted the German women’s national team ahead of the current European Championship. Starting today, the adidas Home Ground will serve as the temporary home of Hamburger SV for their first of two training camps during this summer’s pre-season, lasting until Friday, 18th July.

"Perfect conditions"

“The conditions here are simply perfect. We've experienced that on previous away trips,” explained head coach Merlin Polzin. “The distances are short, the pitch is perfect. It doesn’t get much better than this.” Around 14:30 CEST, the HSV squad, which will include 33 players during the training week, arrived safely at this impressive facility after a several-hour train journey. The coach and players then settled into their bungalows, with groups of four sharing accommodation. For example, Noah Katterbach, Ransford Königsdörffer, Silvan Hefti and Aboubakar Soumahoro formed one of the groups. After that, it was time to get to work with pre-season training.

The Rothosen immediately immersed themselves fully in the HomeGround environment and, quite literally, got a little wet during the first training session. As heavy rain fell, head coach Merlin Polzin and his coaching staff called the players together for the first training camp session. However, the weather didn’t dampen the mood. On the contrary: Just like during the first 12 days of pre-season, the Hamburg squad, including new signing Nicolas Capaldo (pictured), gave an engaged performance – and on a pitch that was in perfect condition. It was fitting that the sky cleared up during the 60-minute session. Apart from Otto Stange, who trained individually under the guidance of Sebastian Capel, the only player missing from the team training was striker Yussuf Poulsen, who was still saying his goodbyes to his former club RB Leipzig. The 31-year-old Dane travelled to the training camp in the evening and will soon join the team, ready to get involved in training with the Rothosen

“Tight schedule”

“We have a tight schedule. The focus is entirely on the work on the pitch, as well as group and individual discussions. There will be some targeted meetings, information and video sessions on our tactical setups. This week, we want to especially deepen our work off the ball,” Polzin explained, emphasising that they’re not relying on extraordinary or forced team-building activities: “If the opportunity arises, of course, we can do a variety of sports activities here. The conditions, with the lounge areas, are perfect, so people will certainly want to sit together in the evenings. However, this exchange happens naturally due to the environment here and not because of any directives from us. We’ve had similar experiences on previous away trips."

A touch of Campo Bahia, even though the weather at the start was more Hamburg-like than Brazilian. Training continues on Tuesday at the adidas Home Ground with two sessions at 11:00 CEST and 16:30 CEST. The training sessions will be closed to the public, except for Thursday (11:00 CEST). However, alongside the public session on Thursday, HSV are inviting fans to a big fan afternoon on Wednesday (16th July), so that the HSV supporters can experience the special atmosphere at the adidas headquarters and interact with the players.