Before Cologne clash: HSV star’s comeback turns into a thriller! | OneFootball

The mood at HSV has noticeably improved after the immensely important 2-1 away win at VfL Wolfsburg.

In the relegation battle, the Red Shorts have given themselves a small cushion. And ideally, they want to build on this immediately against their next direct competitor! On Saturday evening (6:30 p.m., Sky), HSV will host 1. FC Köln at the Volksparkstadion. With a bit of luck, the Hanseatics could be able to call on Nicolas Capaldo again sooner than expected.

The Argentine suffered an abdominal muscle injury about a week and a half ago during the 1-2 loss to RB Leipzig and had to be substituted early. Since then, the defensive player has been working intensively on his comeback. HSV coach Merlin Polzin is fervently hoping that he might just make it back in time.

“He’s getting better bit by bit,” Polzin recently explained. The coach makes no secret of the fact that he would like to see Capaldo in the squad for the Cologne match: “It’ll be a photo finish. The goal is to make it happen. We’ll try.”

Photo: Getty Images

HSV: Polzin “more dreamer than realist” when it comes to Capaldo

However, time is extremely tight. At the start of the week, Capaldo was still unable to train with the team; instead, according to Bild, he was working individually at the stadium on his comeback. For a nomination to become realistic, he would probably need to take part in at least the last two training sessions before the match.

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Polzin is actually known as a coach who acts cautiously when it comes to the return of injured players. But in Capaldo’s case, there could be an exception. “As a coach, you’re more of a dreamer than a realist,” the 35-year-old openly admitted, while also emphasizing the importance of his protégé: “He is a very important player.”

In fact, the summer newcomer has established himself as a key player in a short period of time. Originally planned as a replacement for Ludovit Reis, who moved to Bruges, Capaldo moved to the right side of the back three after Warmed Omari’s serious injury. There, he has since impressed with consistently strong performances.

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