Ahead of basement derby: HSV won't hear talk of ‘survival battle’! | OneFootball

Ahead of the explosive northern derby between Werder Bremen and HSV, the situation at the bottom of the table has become even more tense.

The Rothosen have won only one of their last eight Bundesliga matches and recently failed several times to pick up what could prove to be the decisive big points in the battle to stay up. If they lose the derby at Bremen’s Osterdeich, their northern rivals, currently sitting in 15th place, would even draw level with HSV on points.

But there is no talk of panic at the Volkspark. Coach Merlin Polzin is deliberately pushing back against the dramatic framing of the match and emphasizes a different perspective.

“In my mind, I’ve never allowed the word survival battle,” Polzin made clear in comments to Sport Bild. For him, it is much more about the sporting challenge and the chance to win an important match. The situation is serious, he said, but he does not see it as a do-or-die game in the classic sense. “A real survival battle is something you maybe have on the final matchday or in the relegation playoff,” the HSV coach explained.

Photo: IMAGO

HSV want to “repeat” derby win

Instead, Polzin is relying on other factors. Energy, mentality and a clear attitude on the pitch are supposed to tip the decision in HSV’s favor! “We won the first meeting. We want to repeat that,” he said, setting the tone. The team must once again manage to develop “a certain way of playing” in order to leave their mark on the derby.

Nur die Raute – All the news about HSV

It is especially important, he said, to embrace the emotional force of the match. The team can expect a heated atmosphere at the Weserstadion. But Polzin also sees that as an opportunity: “More than 40,000 spectators fit into the stadium. At least 4,000 to 5,000 HSV fans will be there.” That support could provide an extra boost.

According to Polzin, what will be decisive is whether his players actually bring the required intensity onto the pitch. “It has more power when the players demand that from each other than when it comes only from the coach,” he explained, deliberately putting the emphasis on personal responsibility within the team.

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