Brutal start: only one team has it tougher than HSV! | OneFootball

On Thursday, the DFL announced the schedule for the upcoming season. For HSV, things will be especially tough in the opening weeks.

With Dortmund, Mainz, Cologne, Leipzig, Hoffenheim, and Stuttgart, the Rothosen are facing a truly brutal run of fixtures. Four of those six teams finished last season in the Bundesliga’s top five. In addition, Mainz made headlines as the team that finished fourth in the second-half table.

Just how difficult the start really is from a Hamburg perspective is shown by an analysis from the trade magazine kicker. Based on the final standings from last season, it calculated which clubs face the strongest opponents over the first five matchdays.

The result: HSV ranks second, with their opponents having an average league position of 6.8. Only promoted side SC Paderborn 07 had an even tougher start, with a figure of 5.6.

HSV opens the season away at BVB

For Hamburg, it all begins on the last weekend of August at Signal Iduna Park against Borussia Dortmund. From HSV coach Merlin Polzin’s point of view, it was hardly a dream draw, but his respect for the task is clear. “Of course we would have liked to start the season with a home game. Still, we’re really looking forward to this matchup. Dortmund are a top opponent with a special stadium,” the coach told the club’s in-house media.

Photo: Getty Images

Polzin also has special memories of his team’s most recent appearance in Dortmund. Last March, HSV held a surprising 2-0 lead at halftime, but still ended up losing 3-2. “It was one of those matches that stayed with the coaching staff and the team for quite a while,” Polzin said in retrospect. What stood out above all was the strong first half, before after the break they “felt the opponent’s quality and the force of the stadium.”

Regardless of BVB, though, the difficult opening schedule does not necessarily have to be a disadvantage. Even last season, HSV often looked competitive against top teams. If the North Germans can pick up points early against the league’s heavyweights, it could provide valuable confidence for the weeks ahead.

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