Saison

HSV return to the big stage with Hamburg derby up next

After the 0-0 draw in Mönchengladbach, the Rothosen’s focus turns to the 112th Hamburg derby this Friday evening. A shorter week of training has kicked off in between these exciting engagements.

After having prioritised individual recovery this Monday (25th August) following HSV’s long-awaited return to the Bundesliga away at Borussia Mönchengladbach, the team kick off a short yet intense week of training today (26th August) at 15:00 CEST. Hamburger SV are already back in action in the Bundesliga on Friday evening at 20:30 CEST – hosting none other than city rivals FC St. Pauli in the Volksparkstadion to mark the 112th Hamburg derby.

Both the Rothosen’s 0-0 in Mönchengladbach as well as the Kiezkickers’ 3-3 draw at home against Borussia Dortmund will buoy the sides with confidence as they head into the match, which boasts a special significance for both clubs. HSV have played a dozen derbies against their neighbours during the last seven years spent in the 2. Bundesliga, but Friday’s game will be the first Hamburg derby in the Bundesliga since 2011. “The excitement is palpable. It’s an incredibly meaningful game for the fans and the team. We’re ready and we’re going to leave everything out there on the pitch,” explained HSV keeper Daniel Heuer Fernandes.

The Rothosen gave an impressive taste of what it looks like to “leave everything on the pitch” with their performance in Mönchengladbach. HSV produced a courageous and combative performance in their Bundesliga opener against the Foals. The game saw no less than 11 players make their Bundesliga debuts, including summer signing and new vice-captain Nicolas Capaldo. “It’s always good to be picking up points away from home. We supported each other really well in the game – everyone gave his all for the rest of the team,” said the 26-year-old when discussing his Bundesliga debut for HSV.

"A derby is always something special"

For the Argentinian, who came through the youth set-up at Boca Juniors and signed his first professional deal at the Buenos Aires side, sees the Hamburg derby as the next highlight in the first few months of his HSV career. After all, Capaldo grew up with surely the world’s biggest city derby – the ‘Superclásico’ between Boca Juniors and River Plate for bragging rights in the Argentine capital. “Spend the week preparing for a derby is something special, as is then playing one in front of such a special crowd. I’m already so excited for the game. Of course we’re going to give it everything, one hundred percent.”

Another member of the squad to be brimming with excitement is centre-forward Yussuf Poulsen. The Rothosen’s nominal captain, who took the armband from Capaldo after coming on in Mönchengladbach for his HSV debut, can claim to be the most experienced player in the squad, with more than 500 competitive appearances to his name. Despite the Denmark international’s extensive career however, the match against St. Pauli will be a new kind of experience for Poulsen. “I had a lot of different experiences at Leipzig, but a derby like this wasn’t one of them,” said the 31-year-old. “I’m unbelievably excited for the game, and more generally to play my first home game for HSV, as the fans are just unique.”

The veteran forward, who came close to setting up a late winner against Gladbach, is hoping for more minutes. “I have to keep listening to my body, and with the advice from the medical department, I don’t want to take any risks. Gladbach was a really good start. It was exactly what I needed in order to take that next step. I hope that I can manage more minutes on Friday.”

The three training sessions planned for this week should help to clarify that. One thing is clear: the momentum and excitement at HSV are palpable ahead of the club’s first home game of the 2025/26 Bundesliga season.