Training camp

HSV up and running in the Ötztal

The Rothosen have completed their first session in Längenfeld, with Daniel Heuer Fernandes returning to full training, around 300 fans watching on and academy graduate Fabio Baldé celebrating his 21st birthday.

Servus, Ötztal! HSV officially began their training camp on Monday morning as the players took to the pitch for their first session. HSV.de was there in the Ötztal to follow the action.

Mountain biking to training

At 10.25am, the Rothosen left their base at the Aqua Dome together and headed to the Längenfeld sports centre by mountain bike. Opened in August 2004 at a cost of around €1 million, the complex boasts a football pitch, tennis court, recreation rooms and a spectator stand for the local community of almost 5,500 people. SV Längenfeld's pitch has been prepared in excellent condition for HSV, while a fitness tent has also been specially set up for the team.

Thankfully for the players, the ride there is considerably less daunting than the mountains surrounding them. The route takes them left out of the hotel garage, down one long straight, up two hairpin bends, across a narrow bridge over the stream and then up one final gentle incline to the training ground. Goalkeeping coach and keen cyclist Sven Höh is first to arrive at 10.31am, fittingly earning himself the day's yellow jersey.

Birthday wishes for Baldé

Before long, French rap is blasting out from the fitness tent as the Rothosen spend around half an hour warming up under fitness coach Jan Hasenkamp. The small stand at the sports centre, meanwhile, quickly fills up. Around 300 HSV supporters of all ages have come along to watch, many of them wearing the club's new home shirt. One fan has gone for Otto Stange on the back, complete with the youngster's new number 19. The U19 European Championship runner-up is not yet in Austria but is due to join the squad later in the week and will be eased back into pre-season.

At 11am, the squad of 25 outfield players and five goalkeepers make their way onto the pitch. Head coach Merlin Polzin brings everyone together in a circle before birthday boy Fabio Baldé (pictured), who turns 21 today, is put through the traditional tunnel of teammates. He is not alone, either, as new signings Martin Adeline and Kofi Amoako, along with the younger members of the squad, are given the same treatment. Portugal U21 international Baldé is back in training after a foot injury.

'Ferro' back in full training and Sambi Lokonga working individually

The outfield players then move on to a range of drills. Daniel Heuer Fernandes, who had recently been sidelined with a hip problem, is back fully involved in goalkeeping training. Sambi Lokonga is also making progress after missing the friendly against SK Rapid with a neck issue. The midfielder is completing an individual programme away from the squad alongside rehab coach Sebastian Capel. Goalkeeper Fernando Dickes and Norway U19 international Alexander Rössing-Lelesiit are also continuing their rehab work, with Rössing-Lelesiit putting in plenty of running as he works his way back from surgery on a syndesmosis injury.

The rest of the squad are put through their paces on a pitch reduced to half its usual length and width. The starting eleven from the friendly against Rapid work on keeping possession under an aggressive press, with the coaching staff showing the players different ways to play through the opposition's defensive lines and retain the ball. After a few more drills, the session moves on to an eleven-a-side match on three-quarters of the pitch, with the same teams kept together. Emir Sahiti and Joel Agyekum are among the scorers as Team Orange come out on top. The two-hour morning session ends with set-piece drills, particularly focusing on corners delivered by Jean-Luc Dompé.

After signing autographs and posing for selfies with the many fans in attendance, the HSV travelling party get back on their bikes and head for the Aqua Dome. Day one of the training camp is complete.