“Won’t happen again”: Poulsen promises better times at HSV | OneFootball

Yussuf Poulsen is looking ahead to his second season at HSV with optimism. After the Dane was repeatedly set back by physical issues in his debut year, things are now supposed to be different.

A total of five injuries, mostly muscular problems, kept setting the 32-year-old back. In the end, he managed just 15 Bundesliga appearances and only a single start. For a player who had even been named captain shortly before the start of the season, that is a disappointing record.

Poulsen himself therefore looks back on his first HSV season with mixed feelings. “When it comes to football, last year was very difficult for me,” he said in an interview with Bild. Particularly frustrating: he had already been carrying physical problems before his move to Hamburg. “I got injured in my last match in Leipzig and took the injury with me on vacation. When I came back, I got injured again right away in pre-season. That meant I didn’t have a proper pre-season.”

Photo: IMAGO

HSV wants to manage Poulsen’s workload even more precisely

That is exactly where the veteran is now focusing his efforts. Together with HSV, he is taking a much more cautious approach. His training workload is being managed individually to avoid further setbacks. Poulsen himself has learned from the experience. “This year, I’m only doing what the physios and fitness coaches tell me,” he promised. So far, he said, he had often been too ambitious and had “maybe pushed” his body “a little too hard from time to time.”

Accordingly, he is confident about what lies ahead. “If I can get through a proper pre-season, I’m sure I’ll be on the pitch more often this season,” said the striker. He followed that up with a clear promise to HSV fans: “There won’t be another season like the last one.” His goal in the friendly against Rapid Vienna can serve as an initial encouragement.

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