Ahead of head-to-head clash: Union star reveals he’s a big HSV fan | OneFootball

The match between Union Berlin and HSV is set to be a grand reunion. However, contrary to expectations, this does not apply to the coaching staff.

When Hamburger SV visits Union Berlin on Sunday evening (7.30 pm, DAZN), this duel contains more controversy than the pure league table would suggest. Even though the eagerly anticipated coaching duel between Merlin Polzin and Steffen Baumgart is off due to the suspension of the Union coach, there is plenty of material for discussion.

With Tom Rothe, a player from Köpenick not only meets his close friend and former Kiel colleague Nicolai Remberg, but also the club he passionately followed in his younger years. "Even when I played for St. Pauli, I was actually a big HSV fan in my childhood," the 20-year-old revealed in a Mopo interview.

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Rothe's career highlight against HSV

Rothe, a key part of Union's defense since last summer, has special memories of the Hanseatic city. As a young player, he regularly visited the Volksparkstadion, sat in the stands, and cheered for his then favorite club.

It was all the more emotional for him when he stood on the pitch as a player for the first time: In April 2024, he decided the crucial second division duel against HSV with his winning goal to 1:0 and paved the way for Holstein Kiel to be promoted. A few months later, he moved to Berlin via Dortmund.

This Sunday, it's time for another reunion. This time, the direct duel with Remberg awaits, who moved to HSV after Kiel's relegation and is a regular in midfield. The two have maintained a close friendship since their time together at Holstein, which will be put on hold for 90 minutes during the game. Rothe still praises his former teammate highly: "Rambo definitely lives up to his nickname, it's always nasty to play against him. Plus, he often goes in for the slide tackle and still has a good game with the ball."

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.