Despite the snowstorm: why HSV stayed in Hamburg! | OneFootball

Winter has currently taken a firm hold of the Hanseatic city of Hamburg, presenting HSV with a unique challenge.

At the start of training on Friday, the team led by coach Merlin Polzin had to improvise. Heavy snowfall made the grass pitches at the Volksparkstadion unplayable, so the professionals quickly switched to the artificial turf behind the campus.

“We in Hamburg are always surprised when it snows and it doesn’t disappear by eleven o'clock,” Polzin commented with a smile. Behind the scenes, however, there were intensive considerations on how to optimally prepare for the first competitive match at SC Freiburg (January 10).

HSV only has a few days left to prepare for the restart. Under these circumstances, scenarios that initially seemed out of the question were considered – such as a short-term training camp abroad. Several league competitors had already headed to Spain or Portugal to find better conditions. But at HSV, the counterarguments prevailed, such as travel stress, lost training days, and scarcely available accommodations.

“We actually want to stay here 100%,” Polzin clarified. Especially with the short preparation time, every travel day would be a noticeable disadvantage.

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HSV Makes an Important Decision!

The final decision was made with a view to the Volkspark itself. On Sunday morning, the team no longer marched towards the artificial turf but returned to the main pitch. Thanks to the efforts of the club's greenkeepers, both the grass and the hybrid pitch were snow-free and fully playable. A session on green turf was possible, providing planning security. Briefly considered options like a departure to Spain or Turkey could be definitively shelved.

“We are well-positioned here, we have a great greenkeeper team that does excellent work,” praised Polzin. It was precisely these conditions that ultimately made the difference. Despite the snow chaos, HSV remains in Hamburg and prepares on home turf for the challenging away game in Breisgau.

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