“That’s not on”: HSV captain lays into Königsdörffer! | OneFootball

As if the thoroughly deserved 0–5 defeat against 1. FSV Mainz 05 were not already reason enough for concern, another incident preoccupied HSV fans on Sunday evening.

The match had long since been decided, and quite a few spectators had already left the Volkspark. But then a scene unfolded that stirred HSV supporters far more than their team’s unacceptable performance. Promotion hero Ransford Königsdörffer, who moved from Hamburg to Mainz on a free transfer in the summer, scored after coming on as a substitute to make it 5–0. A moment of personal vindication?

The striker, often criticized at HSV, gave free rein to his emotions and immediately launched into a knee-slide celebration. When the crowd responded with whistles, Königsdörffer doubled down and provocatively held both hands behind his ears. Heated scenes followed: both Nicolai Remberg and Fabio Vieira confronted their former teammate. But in that moment, he was not particularly willing to listen and preferred to celebrate with his new teammates.

Photo: IMAGO

HSV: Polzin would rather talk about his team’s performance

Remberg, who is actually good friends with Königsdörffer, made it clear he was anything but pleased with his behavior. “I like him an incredible amount. But I’m the captain here. If someone celebrates like that in front of our fans, then I have to go over there. That’s not done, I don’t think that’s right,” he said clearly in the mixed zone, adding: “That’s what I told him. Of course, he took a lot here. People on the outside didn’t really notice how bad the abuse directed at him was. But a celebration like that leaves a bit of a sour taste.”

HSV coach Merlin Polzin, on the other hand, struck a much more diplomatic tone. The 35-year-old did not want to give the issue much importance at the subsequent press conference. “If, after a game and a performance like that, we fixate on this topic, that would be the wrong approach,” Polzin made clear. “Today we have very different worries and problems than asking ourselves what the celebration after the 0–5 looked like.”

In any case, he did not want to accuse his longtime protégé of any ill intent. “It certainly wasn’t a malicious decision,” said Polzin. “But you’d have to ask him directly.” Quite a few HSV fans would probably have liked nothing more than that.

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