Pre-Match Report
06.05.17
Unity on the final lap
After suffering three straight Bundesliga defeats head coach Markus Gisdol decided to shake up the schedule and took his squad for a three day mini training camp at nearby Rothenburg.
The Rothosen dropped crucial home points recently against FC Augsburg (0-4) and odd-on relegation favourites SV Darmstadt 98 (1-2). Wins in those games could have been HSV’s ticket out of the dreaded drop zone. As it is though the Rothosen face yet another nail-biting relegation battle which looks like going down to the wire. Gisdol will not allow his players’ heads drop but at the same time things have to change with regard to results and if possible against Mainz at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg on Sunday afternoon (07.05.17, 3.30 PM). The team need to reproduce the team unity and spirit as well as a strong will which had worked so well for them before the dismal run of three straight losses. That is why the training camp was arranged – at the player’s request. A lot of hard work was put in without the gaze of the media, focusing only on the tough job at hand against Mainz on Sunday. The fans, club and city have their fingers crossed that the team can rediscover the kind of form which saw them go nine games unbeaten at home. In a word – it is a real “six-pointer” and in truth only a win will do.
Total mobilisation for the season run-in
HSV began the games against top sides Hoffenheim, Leverkusen, Gladbach and Cologne as rank outsiders but beat them all anyway! After the worst start to a season in the club’s history many people had written them off, but the team fought hard against that assumption. A huge effort was mounted and the team produced performances which commanded and got respect from opponents all over the land. The team had an impressive run of nine unbeaten home games which ended with a bitter 1-2 defeat to basement team Darmstadt. The week before they suffered a bitter defeat at old rivals Werder Bremen by the same score. There followed further misery as the Rohosen lost 0-4 to fellow strugglers Augsburg. That performance left all HSV fans shaking their heads. Gisdol told the media this week: “The Augsburg result shook us. The fact is that my team is not able to produce Champions League form during the second half of the season.”
“We have to make the first move in order to get the fans and the city behind us”, knows Gisdol.
Luckily the team has gone through such phases before Gisdol again: “The strength of this team is their ability to deal with such things and bounce back after setbacks.” The coach is of course hoping that his men can show a different side than they had in the last three defeats. We have to make the first move in order to get the fans and the city behind us. We have to make the first move in order to get the fans and the city behind us.”
Mainz with Cordoba, Öztunali and Jairo
Mainz are also looking for some stability. As the teams met in Mainz earlier in the season the home side ran out the 3-1 winners. The hosts were ten points ahead of the visitors. Now that has all changed after a dramatic slump in form has seen them plunge down the table so far that they are now level on points with the Rothosen but with a far superior goal difference ahead of Sunday’s crucial game for which over 51,000 tickets have been sold. Mainz boss Martin Schmidt expects a “real thriller” in Hamburg. He knows that: “Both teams are fighting for top flight survival which is the salt in the soup of this encounter. It will be a nervous affair.” The Swiss-born coach is relieved to be able to pick his side from an almost full strength squad. Recently injured Jhon Cordoba, Levin Öztunali, Alexander Hack, Jairo and Danny Latza, who was doubtful in midweek have all recovered and are expected to feature at the Volksparkstadion. Only Emil Berggreen lacks match fitness.
Gisdol is still without long term injured trio Albin Ekdal, Rene Adler and Nicolai Müller. Christian Mathenia looks likely to return between the posts on Sunday. Gisdol: “Special situations demand special performances.”
That said, the stage is set. See you all there!
Possible line-ups:
HSV (from): Mathenia, Mickel, Hunt, Waldschmidt, Sakai, Gregoritsch, Ostrzolek, Jung, Walace, Janjicic, Lasogga, Mavraj, Wood, Kostic, Papadopoulos, Diekmeier, Jatta, Holtby
Possible Mainz line-up: Lössl - Balogun, Bungert, Gbamin, Jairo - Quaison, Ramalho - S. Serdar, Muto, Onisiwo - Seydel
Referee: Daniel Siebert (Berlin)