"I've been through a lot": Is this why Poulsen keeps picking up injuries? | OneFootball

In the summer, HSV signed Yussuf Poulsen from RB Leipzig with high hopes. The Dane was even immediately appointed as captain.

Yussuf Poulsen is experiencing a difficult start at Hamburger SV. After his move from RB Leipzig, the Danish striker was expected to lead the Hanseatic club’s attack and bring the newly assembled squad the necessary Bundesliga experience. But so far, there has been little sign of that. Instead, the 31-year-old is struggling with recurring muscle problems. The new HSV captain has only collected 122 minutes of playing time in the league.

The reason for this likely lies in Poulsen’s aggressive approach after his initial complaints during summer training. “I was too impatient. Now I have to accept that it takes time and that I have to come back step by step,” the Dane explained in an interview with the Hamburger Abendblatt.

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Polzin on Poulsen: “He’s already been through a lot”

The strain of recent years seems to be taking its toll. Head coach Merlin Polzin had already warned in August: “Yussi has a body that’s already been through a lot. We knew he wouldn’t play 34 games for 90 minutes each.”

In fact, Poulsen was an ever-present at RB Leipzig: 425 competitive matches, 95 goals, 66 assists, plus countless intense seasons in the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and Europe. When asked whether Leipzig’s high-speed football was responsible for his current susceptibility to injury, Poulsen responded thoughtfully: “That’s hard to say. Maybe yes, maybe no. Of course, I went through a lot at RB. But I want to experience that now with HSV as well.”

On Saturday against Borussia Dortmund (3:30 p.m., Sky), the veteran could be in the starting lineup for the first time in a competitive match. At the final press conference, Polzin hinted that Poulsen could start in place of the recently unlucky Ransford Königsdörffer.

Poulsen himself wants nothing more: “I just want to play football. That’s what I love.”

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