Boxing the secret to success? HSV ace fights his way back! | OneFootball

As recently as autumn, his days at HSV seemed numbered. For twelve consecutive Bundesliga matches, Bakery Jatta was not even included in the squad.

His last appearance was even further back, dating to January 18, 2025. Last summer, the Gambian was therefore considered one of the hottest candidates to leave. In a personal conversation, Merlin Polzin told him that his sporting prospects at HSV were very limited. Nevertheless, Jatta stayed and spent much of the first half of the season in the stands.

But then came the cup night against Holstein Kiel on December 3. In the bitter 3:5 defeat after a penalty shootout, Jatta was substituted in and scored in extra time to give his team a temporary 1:0 lead. That was the turning point: since then, the 27-year-old has played in nine league matches, starting in the lineup seven times.

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HSV: Jatta suddenly first choice again!

Remarkably, Jatta completely reinvented himself in the process. From a classic right winger, he was quickly converted into a right wing-back, taking on significantly more defensive responsibility. In the recent 3:2 victory over 1. FC Union Berlin, he set up Nicolás Capaldo’s 2:1 goal and was able to celebrate his first assist in the Bundesliga.

None of this is a coincidence. As Bild now reports, Jatta worked extremely hard for his renaissance. Among other things, he put in extra fitness work after training sessions and completed numerous running drills. He also discovered boxing for himself—with resounding success. The positive effects, such as quicker footwork, more upper body stability, and greater explosiveness, are clearly visible. In addition, he changed his diet and optimized his sleep habits.

On top of that, his direct competition was unable to prove themselves sustainably. Giorgi Gocholeishvili fell into a slump after a strong start to the season, while William Mikelbrencis continues to struggle with severe fluctuations in performance. After an outstanding performance against FC Bayern (2:2), the Frenchman had an extremely unfortunate substitute appearance against Union Berlin.

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