A scoreless draw in Friday’s Hamburg Derby between rivals St. Pauli and HSV devolved into a post-match confrontation involving players and supporters, prompting condemnation from both clubs. The incident, occurring after the 2. Bundesliga match at Millerntor-Stadium, centers on alleged taunts directed at HSV defender Luka Vuskovic regarding his brother’s ongoing doping suspension and escalated to include a physical altercation in the team tunnel. HSV manager Merlin Polzin has called for sensitivity surrounding the matter as the club navigates a difficult situation for the young player.
Following a tense, scoreless draw in the Hamburg Derby between St. Pauli and HSV, a heated confrontation erupted after the final whistle. 0:0-Derby HSV defender Luka Vuskovic (18) and later, head coach Merlin Polzin (35) both engaged with St. Pauli supporters, and tensions continued to escalate in the team corridors.
During a post-match interview with Sky, Vuskovic was questioned about whether his brother, Mario, currently suspended pending a doping investigation until November, was in attendance. Luka responded, “My brother wasn’t here, he was in Croatia.” He then immediately added, “I don’t know what the St. Pauli fans are thinking. It’s very disrespectful to attack my family and my brother.”
The incident stemmed from St. Pauli fans allegedly directing doping-related taunts at Luka Vuskovic. The young defender initially responded with a gesture to silence them, placing a finger to his lips. He then voiced his frustration during the televised interview. The situation further deteriorated in the tunnel, where a heated exchange with St. Pauli’s Karol Mets (32) took place, culminating in Vuskovic spitting in Mets’ direction, according to reports.
Vuskovic: “I don’t know what the fans of St. Pauli think”
HSV manager Merlin Polzin (35) later weighed in, stating, “We have an 18-year-old who carries a lot of weight on his shoulders (due to the situation surrounding his brother Mario, ed.). Both the HSV and FC St. Pauli should normally treat these topics with sensitivity and understanding.” He continued, “Therefore, I can completely understand his displeasure when faced with these insults, words, requests, gestures, and sometimes actions. This is a moment we need to correct quickly so that something like this doesn’t happen again.”
Mario Vuskovic, currently serving a ban for a positive EPO test, is ineligible to play in official matches until November 15th. However, he will be permitted to rejoin team training sessions starting in mid-September, marking his return to the pitch after nearly four years of individual workouts.
