Hamburger SV begins the new Bundesliga season with a tough away match against Borussia Dortmund. The opening round fixture takes place on Saturday, August 29, at 18:30 local time at SIGNAL IDUNA PARK, as reported by the sports news outlet karlobag.eu.
The Rothosen enter the match after finishing the previous season in 13th place with 31 points from 29 games. Their recent form before the summer break showed just one win in their last five matches (LDLDW). The entire 2025 season yielded 32 goals scored and 45 conceded. Facing the runners-up Dortmund is a significant challenge to start the campaign.
What is HSV's historical record against Dortmund?
The recent history heavily favors Borussia Dortmund. BVB is unbeaten in the last seven Bundesliga meetings with Hamburger SV, recording six wins and one draw. HSV's last victory against Borussia dates back to the 2015/16 season.
Last season, the teams drew 1:1 in Hamburg. The return fixture in Dortmund was won 3:2 by BVB, despite HSV leading 2:0 at one point. This narrow defeat shows that Hamburg can pose a threat to Dortmund, even if the overall statistics tell a different story.
Which Dortmund players should be watched?
Borussia Dortmund enters the match with a potent attack. Striker Serhou Guirassy scored 17 Bundesliga goals last season, finishing third in the league's scoring charts. Julian Ryerson provided 15 assists, the second-highest total in the league. This offensive power was key to their second-place finish with 73 points.
New signing Joey Veerman adds to their strength. The midfielder joined from PSV Eindhoven on August 18. Manager Niko Kovač can also call upon other talents like Konstantinos Karetsas, Daniel Svensson, and Samuele Inacio. The injury situation is a concern, however. Emre Can and Nico Schlotterbeck suffered longer-term injuries in mid-August. Maximilian Beier missed a pre-season test after a knee knock, and Carney Chukwuemeka had muscular problems. The return of Waldemar Anton to full training is a positive note.
What does the season opener mean for HSV?
For manager Merlin Polzin and his team, the match in Dortmund is the first test after an inconsistent previous season. With nine wins, eleven draws, and fourteen defeats, along with 40 goals for and 54 against, performance fell short of expectations. The departure of Ransford Königsdörffer after four years at HSV is a personnel loss the squad must compensate for.
The direct comparison with top-team Dortmund serves as a benchmark. Earning a point at the Signal Iduna Park would be a sensational result and a huge morale boost for the coming weeks. The full schedule for the first half of the season can be found on our fixtures page. The current squad composition is viewable under squad.
What is the current starting position?
Hamburger SV starts the new season 45 points behind leaders Bayern Munich. The first match takes the team directly to the second-placed side. The complete table of the concluded season is shown in our standings overview. The task for Polzin is clear: the defense must become more solid to compete against strong attacks like Dortmund's. The season opener will show if the summer preparation has paid off and if HSV can join the fight for mid-table positions.
