Team
30.10.25
Meffert returns to his hometown for a special match
The Köln native is set for a special match in his hometown and is hoping to carry the momentum from the cup win in Heidenheim into this weekend’s match.
For Jonas Meffert, trips to Cologne also mean coming home. A native of the Cathedral City, Meffert continues to enjoy strong connections to the city, where his friends and family still live. The midfielder began playing at TV Hoffnugsthal before moving up through the ranks of the Bayer 04 Leverkusen academy, where he later made his professional debut. He then spent three seasons at Holstein Kiel, before joining the Rothosen in 2021/22. The 31-year-old has featured in 144 competitive games for the club to date (4 goals, 11 assists), more than for any other side. This season, the midfielder has been able to feature in three Bundesliga games – his first in the division since his top-flight debut for SC Freiburg in 2016.
Sunday afternoon’s clash with the Billy Goats is of course “a very special match” for ‘Meffo,’ as he will come up against his hometown club for the seventh time in his career (W3, D1, L2). “We won twice against Effzeh last season. We want to build on that and show that we haven’t taken our foot off the gas – we want to win,” the vice-captain said. The Rothosen will be looking to carry the momentum from their cup win against 1. FC Heidenheim in mid-week with them into the weekend. “It was important for us to get a win in the cup, after having suffered two straight defeats in the league. It was all about winning. Playing well is obviously great, but winning is what matters,” Meffert said.
Having been an unused substitute in the last two league games, the midfielder was able to see some action in mid-week once again, coming on in the second half for Nicolai Remberg. He put in a solid shift in defensive midfield, reading the game well and playing accurate passes. “The second half reminded me of our last away game at Schalke, where we also found ourselves a man up for a long time,” he explained. “We were dominating but didn’t create the best chances, but still had enough to score. Whenever you get several touches inside the opposition’s box, then the odds are high that you’ll manage to win a penalty. Bobby then stepped up and converted it with confidence,” Meffert said. The way the team then celebrated the goal was a great example of the spirit within the squad. “You could see how happy everyone was for him,” he explained. “That was a symbol from the team of how much we all appreciate and need him.”
HSV’s upcoming opponents have also been playing well so far this season, sitting in ninth place with 11 points. “It’s been fun to watch Effzeh play, but the same goes for us. In my opinion, both teams deserved to go up and are a real enrichment for the Bundesliga,” Meffert said. This description also applies to Köln’s 19-year-old Said El Mala, who has scored three goals already this season. “I always keep a eye on Köln and watch their highlights every now and then. He caught my eye last season already when he was at Viktoria Köln. You could already tell then, based on his YouTube highlights, that he was a talented player,” Meffert shared. HSV will be hoping to keep the youngster contained this weekend, so that Meffert and his teammates will have reason to celebrate in the Cathedral City.