HSV without Poulsen and Otele: is the Wolfsburg match at risk? | OneFootball

When HSV announced their squad ahead of the rescheduled match against Bayer Leverkusen, many fans rubbed their eyes in surprise.

Because both Yussuf Poulsen and Philip Otele were missing, two players whom the supporters had actually expected to be in the lineup. Just three days earlier, Otele was even in the starting eleven against RB Leipzig (1:2), and Poulsen played as a substitute for about 25 minutes.

But this is where the issue lay. In the context of a physically demanding English week, HSV aims to consciously manage the workload of its players. This is especially true for Poulsen, who has only accumulated 268 Bundesliga minutes this season and only recently returned from an ankle injury.

Before the kickoff, Merlin Polzin explained in a Sky interview why he left out his captain: “Yussi has been dealing with one or another minor injury from time to time. We have a short week with only two days of rest each. He will be fresh again on Saturday.”

Photo: Getty Images

HSV against Wolfsburg with Otele again?

The situation is somewhat different for winter newcomer Otele. The left winger has started every game since his signing and has been in top physical condition. However, before the home game against Leverkusen, he “felt a little something,” according to Polzin. Especially with an eye on the upcoming basement showdown against VfL Wolfsburg (Saturday, 3:30 PM), a conscious risk management decision was made against his nomination.

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Ironically, it might have been the lackluster performance in the 0:1 against the Werkself that ensured Otele could immediately return to the starting eleven if fit. In his absence, HSV showed a particularly disappointing offensive performance. Rayan Philippe, who was fielded instead, failed to make any notable impact, and Jean-Luc Dompé also remained without any significant moments after being substituted in. It is quite possible, therefore, that Polzin will rely on Otele again against the Lower Saxons.

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