Hamburger SV striker Rayan Philippe mocks failed Mainz transfer with goal celebration | OneFootball

Newly-promoted Bundesliga outfit Hamburger SV were able to commemorate their second league victory in front of their home fans on Sunday afternoon. A decisive 4-0 win over visiting Mainz 05 certainly wasn’t something the Hamburg crowd at the Volksparkstadion were expecting. Upon scoring the first of his two goals on the evening, HSV striker Rayan Philippe seized an opportunity to make a statement about botched expectations.

Philippe very early transferred to Mainz this summer until a deal ultimately fell through. The former Eintracht Braunschweig forward mocked the failed transfer by mimicking a phone call with his fingers after scoring the 10th-minute 2-0. The Frenchman spoke on the action in the mixed zone.

In a sense, it was Philippe himself who rendered the deal difficult by scoring a dramatic late equalizer that helped Braunschweig best Saarbrücken in the promotion-relegation playoffs. Braunschweig’s 2. Bundesliga status led to his club demanding a higher transfer fee.

“When we stayed up after the relegation playoffs, my agent said it was going to be difficult,” Philippe said. “It was really close, but I’m happy to be here [in Hamburg] now.“

GGFN | Peter Weis