Team

Schonlau: "We can't give away a day".

In an intensive first week of training, the HSV captain talks to the media about the team's condition, the goals of the preparation and his partner in central defence.

Hamburger SV are kicking off their preparations for the second half of the current 2022/23 second division season with a vengeance. On each of the last two days, head coach Tim Walter had already asked his side to take part in a double session, and today, Thursday morning, the 47-year-old had them train for a full 100 minutes on the pitch. But that was not all: After the training with the leather, it was time for the iron. In the weight room of the "Rothosen" and in the mixed zone of the Volksparkstadion, the HSV athletic trainers around Daniel Müssig provided a crisp strength circuit in which the HSV pros continued to work up a good sweat. The message in the Volkspark is clearly visible: the foundations for a successful second half of the season are to be laid with all their might.

Also challenged off the green pitch: Youngster Ogechika Heil, right-back William Mikelbrencis and captain Sebastian Schonlau (from left).

Greed and body language

Much to the delight of HSV captain Sebastian Schonlau, who as always sets a good example in the practice forms. "It's intense. It is important that we are currently training much more compared to the normal rhythm during the season," the 28-year-old centre-back explained in a media round today between the units. "We had a very long break, which was absolutely good for us. Now it's clearly our job to get back to football with full focus. We can't give away a day. The preparation is short, we want to make the most of every day." The Warsteiner native also has a very clear idea of what the second-placed team in the table wants to do better in the second half of the season: Bringing the absolute greed onto the field for the full 90 minutes in every game. Despite good results, there were phases at the beginning of the first half of the season in which Hamburg did not have the desired dominance on the pitch. "That must not happen to us this time," warns "Bascho" and confidently emphasises: "The opponent must notice straight away that there is little to be gained for him when we are on the other side. We have to go into the games with this attitude and body language and then get as many points as possible."

For this endeavour, the 117-time 2.Liga player, who also played 23 games in the top flight in the 2019/20 season, is rehearsing a lot at the beginning of the preparation alongside homegrown Jonas David, who could step in alongside the captain in central defence in the absence of Mario Vuskovic. "Jonas is doing well, he enjoys our confidence. I'm up for playing with him in central defence. He has assets that are incredible in my eyes. When I compare my athleticism with his, I'd rather take his," Schonlau explained with a laugh and then disappeared in the direction of the dressing room to minimise the athletic deficits compared to his counterpart six years younger.