Hamburger SV have undertaken a major squad overhaul for the 2026/27 Bundesliga season but will begin their campaign hampered by several injuries. This is reported by www.getfootballnewsgermany.com in a fresh tactical preview this week. The club finished the previous season in 13th place with 38 points, just above the safety threshold of 35. The final 2025/26 table shows HSV with 31 points from 29 games, seven wins, ten draws, and twelve losses, and a recent run of form reading LDLDW.
Who has left HSV and who has arrived?
The departure of four attackers who combined for only eight Bundesliga goals highlights the need for reinforcements up front. Robert Glatzel, Ransford Königsdörffer, Damion Downs, and Philip Otele have all left. The exits of William Mikelbrencis and Giorgi Gocholeishvili, plus the sale of 21-year-old Fabio Baldé to Strasbourg for €7m, have further reshaped the team. In response, sporting director Claus Costa has brought in several new faces. The loan of Albert Grønbaek was made permanent for €4.7m. Martin Adeline joined from Troyes for €4m, and Kofi Amoako arrived from Dynamo Dresden for €1.8m. Bilal Nadir and Patson Daka joined on free transfers from Marseille and Leicester City. The signing of centre-back Sebastiaan Bornauw aims to offset the return of loanee Luka Vuskovic, who impressed with six goals last term.
Which injuries are affecting the season start?
Pre-season preparations have been clouded by personnel issues. Warmed Omari is out with a shoulder injury. Miro Muheim will miss the first cup match. Mario Vuskovic's return is expected later in the season. These absences force manager Merlin Polzin to find creative solutions, especially in defence. The current injuries list outlines the challenges for the upcoming fixtures.
How did the pre-season friendlies go?
The friendly matches offered a glimpse into the team's potential and problems. A 3-2 loss to Rapid Wien saw goals from Yussuf Poulsen and Albert Grønbaek. Notably, two young talents featured: 17-year-old goalkeeper Lahti and 16-year-old left-sided player Louis Lemke. The second friendly against Heidenheim ended in a 3-1 win for HSV. Grønbaek scored another penalty, Rayan Philippe found the net, and new signing Patson Daka made his first appearance, being fouled by Frank Feller.
What does this mean for the first Bundesliga match?
The first real test comes away at current second-placed side Borussia Dortmund on 29 August. With an estimated negative transfer balance of €200,000 and the mentioned injury concerns, HSV begin this tough task with a depleted squad. Newly appointed Board Member for Sport Kathleen Krüger and Merlin Polzin's team face a significant challenge. The squad must improve its discipline after collecting eight red cards last season, more than their total Bundesliga wins (seven). As Nicolai Remberg noted: "HSV had collected more red cards than Bundesliga victories." The full schedule for the coming matches can be found on our fixtures page. To achieve survival, HSV must improve efficiency at both ends, having scored 32 goals but conceded 45 in the last campaign.
