Battle for Hamburg: These 4 clashes will decide the city derby! | OneFootball

For the first time since 2011, the Bundesliga will host the Hamburg city derby. The conditions could hardly be more promising.

When the city derby kicks off on Friday evening (8:30 PM, Sky), it could, as in every encounter between the two Hanseatic football clubs, depend not only on the smallest tactical detail but also on which club better handles the special atmosphere and immense pressure.

It is also crucial how the two teams will contest their direct matchups on the field. Therefore, we take a closer look at four key duels on the road to derby victory!

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These duels will decide the Hamburg Derby:

Ransford Königsdörffer vs. Eric Smith

In the last line of FC St. Pauli, Eric Smith plays as a very versatile player. The Swede masters the game in the defensive line of the Kiezkicker but can also advance to higher zones with or against the ball as a trained defensive midfielder. In this role and positioning, Smith can certainly be counted among the upper standard of the Bundesliga.

In the upcoming encounter, it will be crucial for HSV to keep his influence as small as possible. Ransford Königsdörffer could play an important role in the Rothosen's pressing: He should either directly attack Smith or always keep him in the cover shadow.

As soon as HSV gains possession or already controls the ball and wants to play deep, it will also depend on the German-Ghanaian to quickly seek the direct path to the opponent's goal. This could limit Smith's sphere of influence, as the Brown-Whites are likely to be more and more concerned about not being caught in their own back as the game progresses.

This duel could mean impactful strikes for both sides and possibly indicate early on how much risk each team can and wants to take.

Emir Sahiti – Joel Chima Fujita

From winger to disguised playmaker: The playing development of Sahiti, especially considering the increasingly better integration of the Kosovar, is remarkable. Many had already written off the 26-year-old when Merlin Polzin and his coaching team found a new and significantly more fluid role for him.

For HSV, there are two options: To place the more depth-oriented and transition-focused Rayan Philippe in the last attacking line, or to send Emir Sahiti, a freely moving offensive player, onto the field. This could ensure that the midfield of Fujita and Sands has problems with assignments.

If Sahiti plays, he is likely to frequently encounter Fujita. The 23-year-old Japanese player came in the summer for 3.5 million euros from VV St. Truiden in Belgium and is supposed to secure the defensive center of the St. Pauli team. With Sahiti, the new signing has a mobile and at the same time difficult-to-grasp opponent. This is especially true if the skilled technician is allowed to maintain his positional freedom in the Bundesliga.

Sahiti's lineup would mean less potential in terms of direct depth, but it could also have the advantage of having a connecting player who causes assignment problems in the opponent's center. Especially if James Sands attacks offensively as against Dortmund, this could create spaces in front of the last defensive line. For a player like Sahiti, that's optimal!

Photo: Getty Images

Giorgi Gocholeishvili vs. Louis Oppie

Will we see both players in full sprint for 90 minutes? Both Girogi Gocholeishvili and Louis Oppie are positioned wide on their respective wings in their teams, intended to create breakthroughs on the flanks in the offense. Conversely, they need to attack the opposing full-back in defense.

Here, it will strongly depend on the basic one-on-one duel. Both will frequently face each other in isolation. If one player loses the duel, the side will be open, and support from the outer center-back will be hoped for.

Oppie certainly brings a bit more physicality here and could therefore also be used as a high passing station for forwarding. Gocholeishvili, on the other hand, possesses a lot of dynamism in his start and could use an open side as a deep runner in transitions.

Daniel Elfadli vs. Danel Sinani

Danel Sinani was the focal point in the attacking play of the Paulianer against BVB. His stats: One goal, one assist, 62 ball contacts, eight crosses, twelve long passes, 13 duels. Limiting him will not only depend on one person, especially if Dinani is allowed to move freely between the lines.

Nevertheless, it will mainly depend on Daniel Elfadli! He must time the right moments to actively defend forward and prevent the Luxembourger from turning. Disturbing him early during ball reception and coordinating with teammates when Sinani will be passed on could be a task not to be underestimated for HSV's defense.

Elfadli could also become an easy pressing target for the Kiezkicker. Here, HSV must be careful in the build-up play and ensure that the path through Elfadli and the center is not sought too often. Fluid positioning by Miro Muheim and the central midfielders could create spaces for longer balls.

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