Poulsen the wrong choice as captain? Polzin firmly disagrees! | OneFootball

So far this season, Yussuf Poulsen has played only 14 percent of all possible match minutes. Is that too little for a captain?

He is making progress: Yussuf Poulsen has fully returned to HSV’s training this week. The 31-year-old Dane, who had been sidelined in recent weeks due to thigh problems, is back on the field and could soon actively rejoin the action.

Nevertheless, the question of whether Poulsen was the right choice as captain despite his susceptibility to injury is increasingly being asked in Hamburg. Since his arrival, he has only made two substitute appearances, and the veteran was completely absent in the DFB-Pokal as well as against Bayern and Heidenheim.

But HSV coach Merlin Polzin still stands by his decision. “The experience Yussi has gained in his career is not only reflected in his minutes played for us. It’s about daily interactions, about leading the team every day. He plays an important role there,” Polzin emphasized at the press conference ahead of the away match at Union Berlin (28.09, 7:30 p.m.).

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Polzin: Decision in favor of Poulsen “helps the team”

The coach made it clear: The captaincy is not solely dependent on availability. Even while sidelined, Poulsen provides valuable service to the team, for example through his experience and presence in everyday team life. “From my point of view, it was definitely the right decision. We stand by this decision. It was good and it helps the team,” Polzin stressed.

In terms of personnel, HSV will have almost a full squad to choose from on Sunday in Berlin against Union. In addition to Poulsen, Jordan Torunarigha has also recently returned to training after Achilles tendon problems, although his chances of making the starting eleven are initially rather slim. Immanuel Pherai, on the other hand, is absent for personal reasons.

Polzin announced that the final decision on the squad selection would only be made after the final training session on Saturday. Then it will become clear whether Poulsen could collect competitive match minutes again after several weeks out.

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