hamburg SV’s hopes for a strong finish to 2023 have been substantially hampered by a mounting injury crisis ahead of Saturday’s Bundesliga match against Frankfurt. Key players are now questionable, most notably captain Yussuf Poulsen, who sustained an ankle injury in training and is expected to be sidelined for several weeks-a blow to teh team given he’s only recently integrated into the squad after joining from RB leipzig. The club is currently managing seven unavailable players, testing the depth of coach Merlin Polzin’s roster as they prepare for a crucial year-end fixture at volkspark.
A significant injury blow has hit Hamburg SV, as captain Yussuf Poulsen is set for an extended spell on the sidelines. The Danish forward suffered a sprained ankle during Thursday’s training session and will definitely miss Saturday’s match against Frankfurt (3:30 PM, Sky).
“This won’t be a two-week issue. He will also be out for a week or more in January,” predicted head coach Merlin Polzin. This is the latest setback for Poulsen, who has been battling persistent muscular problems. The injury occurred without any contact from another player, adding to the frustration. “It’s not a good moment for him or for us,” Polzin added.
HSV Faces Multiple Injury Concerns: Poulsen, Dompé, and Vieira All Doubtful
Poulsen has only made one start since joining from RB Leipzig, accumulating a total of 203 minutes on the pitch. He scored his only goal for the club in the derby against Werder Bremen, securing a 3-2 victory. In addition to Poulsen’s injury, Jean-Luc Dompé (30) will also be unavailable for the year-end match at Volkspark. The French winger has been hampered by persistent Achilles tendon issues and didn’t participate in team training this week. “He won’t make it for the weekend,” Polzin stated.
There are also concerns surrounding playmaker Fabio Vieira (25), who is currently ill and briefly joined team training on Tuesday. Fellow Portuguese international Gui Ramos (28) is also battling an infection. Both players are experiencing cold symptoms and will remain at home. Polzin said, “We don’t yet know what the situation will be for the weekend.”
With Poulsen, Dompé, and potentially Vieira all facing time out, HSV could be without three key players for their final Bundesliga match of 2023. The injury list continues to grow, with Ramos and the already injured Robert Glatzel (31, muscle fiber tear), Warmed Omari (25, recovering from a ligament injury), and Alexander Røssing-Lelesiit (18, muscle fiber tear) bringing the total number of unavailable players to seven. The Bundesliga season is proving to be a challenging test of depth for the Hamburg squad. HSV will need to dig deep as they navigate this difficult stretch.
