Season

From the Volkspark to Mallorca – HSV start a new week of training

Three training sessions at the Volkspark are still scheduled, before the Rothosen head off on Wednesday to their training camp in Spain. There awaits Saturday’s (9th August) friendly against Mallorca prior to the first competitive game of the 2025/26 season.

The HSV players are set for another eventful week. After a day off on Sunday, the Rothosen continued their preparation for the 2025/26 Bundesliga season this Monday afternoon (4th August) – and in the familiar environment of the Volksparkstadion training pitches, no less. There, head coach Merlin Polzin was able to draw on the squad in full, with the exceptions of centre-forward Yussuf Poulsen, who was rested, as well as winger Jean-Luc Dompe, who has started rehabilitation after his ankle injury. In addition, the 34-year-old was able to welcome back two players onto the field: Immanuel Pherai and Hannes Hermann.

Pherai and Hermann making good progress

The midfielder managed to train individually for the first time since partially tearing the MCL in his knee, while goalkeeper Hermann even made it into full training. In the next two days, the Rothosen will continue to train in familiar settings, before the HSV group fly to their training camp on Wednesday afternoon.

Their destination is Mallorca – the Balearic island, where coach Polzin’s team already spent time this April, in order to prepare for the final push in the promotion race – which we all know ended in success! This time, the conclusion to their current summer preparations awaits. At the training ground of local club RCD Mallorca, the Rothosen want to apply the final touches before the start of the official 2025/26 season. Here HSV have chosen the tried and tested formula of the RCD training pitches. Due to local conditions, the training sessions will take place behind closed doors, but at the end of the training camp on Saturday evening (9th August), HSV will face off against last season’s 10th placed La Liga side (20:00 CEST). The match at RCD Mallorca’s ‘Son Moix’ stadium will simultaneously serve as the final practice before the opening game of the official season, which begins on the following Saturday (16th August) with the DFB-Pokal first round game away at Oberliga side FK Pirmasens.