HSV's long road back to the Bundesliga | OneFootball

Hamburg’s long road back to the Bundesliga

It's not been easy, but three-time Bundesliga winners Hamburg are back in Germany's top flight after seven seasons in Bundesliga 2.

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For decades, the giant clock at the Volksparkstadion ticked defiantly, a proud reminder to fans that Hamburg had never been relegated from the Bundesliga. A founding member of Germany’s rebranded top flight in 1963, the Red Shorts would go on to establish themselves as one of the biggest clubs in Europe in the late 1970s and ‘80s, as the likes of Kevin Keegan, Manfred Kaltz and Felix Magath lifted major silverware both at home and on the continent.

Even long after those glories faded, their status as a Bundesliga side looked assured – a club simply too grand, too solid, to go down. That was, until mediocrity began to set in. The 2011/12 season, coming just two seasons after HSV reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa League, saw them finish 15th in the Bundesliga – their lowest position ever.

It wasn’t a flash in the pan, either. From 2013/14, they finished 16th, 16th (narrowly avoiding the drop via the play-offs on both occasions), 10th and 14th. They didn’t appear to be learning their lesson.

The 2017/18 season had three different coaches – Markus Gisdol, Bernd Hollerbach, and Christian Titz – at the helm. A catastrophic 15-match winless run through winter and spring left the club in trouble. Even a late flourish under Titz wasn't enough. On 12 May, 2018, despite a 2-1 victory over Borussia Mönchengladbach, Wolfsburg’s win elsewhere sealed Hamburg’s fate. After 55 years in the Bundesliga, the clock finally stopped. Hamburg were a Bundesliga club no more.

What followed has not been a quick redemption arc, but a period of soul-searching – a frustrating and often painful journey that has spanned seven seasons in Bundesliga 2. It wasn’t supposed to be this way, with the club widely tipped to bounce straight back in 2018/19. With the likes of Lewis Holtby, Pierre-Michel Lasogga and Aaron Hunt still on the books, Hamburg had the squad that looked ready to dominate. For much of the season, they did.

Under Titz and later Hannes Wolf, Hamburg were top at the winter break. But as spring arrived, the wheels came off. The team won just one of their final nine games, finishing fourth – missing the promotion play-offs by a whisker.

With Dieter Hecking taking charge in 2019/20, Hamburg again surged into promotion contention, only for spring to prove cruel. A 5–1 humiliation at the hands of Sandhausen on the final day confirmed another fourth-placed finish.

Daniel Thioune’s appointment as head coach in 2020/21 was supposed to bring fresh energy. For much of the campaign, Hamburg looked transformed, with Simon Terodde banging in goals and midfield dynamo Jeremy Dudziak excelling. Yet again, though, the team faltered after March. From Matchday 25 onward, Hamburg managed just one win. A loss to Würzburger Kickers, who finished bottom of the league, was particularly damning. They ended the season in fourth place.

Tim Walter’s arrival in the summer of 2021 marked a subtle shift. Known for his high-pressing, possession-heavy style, Walter brought swagger back to the Volksparkstadion. Hamburg were more consistent and focused, reaching the promotion play-offs. After a 1–0 win away to Hertha Berlin in the first leg, belief soared. But the return fixture ended in heartbreak – Hertha turned the tie around with a 2–0 win. The Bundesliga dream was once more deferred.

The 2022/23 season was the most dramatic yet. Hamburg were firmly in the promotion race, driven by the goals of Robert Glatzel. Heading into the final day, they needed a win and for Heidenheim to slip. Hamburg did their part, beating Sandhausen 1–0. As fans invaded the pitch in celebration, news filtered through that Heidenheim had scored two injury-time goals against Jahn Regensburg to snatch top spot and promotion. The play-off against VfB Stuttgart was brutal, with Hamburg losing 6–1 on aggregate.

In 2023/24, Hamburg again missed out after a good start. Walter was replaced in the second half of the campaign by Steffen Baumgart. Under the latter, the club slipped down to fourth in the table on Matchday 27 and never recovered.

Ahead of this season, fans could have been forgiven for a dash of pessimism given everything they’ve witnessed. When Baumgart was relieved of his duties in late November – on a run of four games without a win – it appeared another year in the wilderness beckoned.

In came Merlin Polzin to little fanfare but, like his namesake, the 34-year-old began to work his magic. Davie Selke, already off to a good start, started scoring at will, reaching the 20-goal mark in the league on Matchday 31. Ransford Königsdorfer and Jean-Luc Dompé added flair from wide as Hamburg blew teams away, topping the division for goals. They went first on Matchday 18, following a win over rivals Cologne, and remained in the top two thereafter.

Unlike in previous seasons, they held their nerve, sealing their promotion back to the Bundesliga against Ulm on Matchday 33.

For Hamburg and their fans, promotion is more than a sporting achievement. It’s an exorcism. Seven long years of heartache and near-misses – purgatory – left behind.

The ticking clock may have stopped long ago, but Hamburg’s story did not end. A new dawn has just begun.

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