Already injured five times: did HSV star Poulsen train too hard? | OneFootball

The hopes HSV placed in the signing of Yussuf Poulsen last summer were high. After all, the Dane arrived from a club competing for European qualification.

The experienced forward, who had previously spent 12 years under contract with RB Leipzig, was supposed to play a key role in HSV’s newly promoted and accordingly inexperienced Bundesliga squad. However, persistent injury problems meant there was little sign of that in recent months.

A total of five different injuries set Poulsen back. As a result, the 31-year-old missed a large part of the season and made only 19 appearances. Rather than establishing himself as a guaranteed source of goals, the former Leipzig man managed just one goal.

Even so, Poulsen continues to enjoy high regard at HSV. Sporting director Claus Costa has now made it clear in comments to Sport Bild that HSV have by no means given up on the striker. “Today, we still can’t say whether he could play 34 full matches next season because of his history. But of course we hope he will be available significantly more than last season,” Costa explained.

Photo: Getty Images

HSV chief on Poulsen: “He can’t hold back”

At the Volkspark, however, they are looking closely into why Poulsen is sidelined so often. His enormous training intensity could also play a role. The Scandinavian is regarded as an absolute model professional who pushes himself to the limit in every session. Costa describes him as a player who “always trains with 100 percent commitment” and never holds anything back. “He can’t hold back, works tirelessly on the pitch and always gives full throttle,” said the HSV sporting director.

But that could also be part of the problem. At RB Leipzig, Poulsen was used to a different rhythm because of the club’s regular participation in European competitions. In Hamburg, by contrast, there were significantly more training sessions on the schedule. HSV want to strike a better balance between workload and recovery next season. An early departure for the veteran is therefore not under discussion.

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