HSV competed well for much of the game but ended up with a 3-0 defeat against league leaders Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday night. The euphoria, emerging after two wins at the start of the season that saw Hamburg top of the table for one night, has started to wane. Three defeats in succession has witnessed the team from the Hanseatic city slip down to eleventh place in the table. A position that would have been more than satisfactory at the end of last season and could indicate the possibility of a campaign without major worries – a situation HSV have sought for years.
Less than two weeks after the transfer window closed, HSV were forced to react. The reason: Injuries to Filip Kostic, Aaron Hunt and Nicolai Müller who were supposed to play together behind centre forward Bobby Wood in Markus Gisdol's ideal first eleven. Hamburg responded immediately by awarding a one-year deal to out-of-contract Sejad Salihovic. The former Hoffenheim player and renowned set piece specialist has been brought in to fill a gap in the HSV midfield. The key players in the squad are, in addition to Salihovic and Wood, the two former Germany internationals Lewis Holtby and André Hahn, whose return to the Hanseatic city after a seven-year absence was the marquee signing of the summer. At the back, the HSV coach Gisdol has great trust in central defender Kyriakos Papadopoulos who has now signed permanent terms after being on loan from Bayer 04 last season.
The loss of Kostic and Müller, whose pacey individual moves consistently posed a threat in the past, has hit the Hamburg attack hard. The last three matches have not only brought HSV just one point but they have also failed to score. Not a record that will pacify the unsettled atmosphere in the North German metropolis particularly after the season began with an unbelievable exit from the DFB Cup away to third division Osnabrück – The club have suffered from that background for several years and have been unable to improve the performances on the pitch to a sustainable level.
There is a question over the financial injections provided by patron Klaus-Michael Kühne: HSV are in the process of reorganising their structures and way of working. Away from continual changes in personnel to consistency and trust in the current squad and management. If that succeeds then the chances are good of leaving behind the permanent sporting crisis of the recent past, given the passion of the fans, the good infrastructure, attractive location and numerous impressive, potential partners.
If at all possible, the aim this term is to avoid the supporters having to worry about staying up right to the end of the season. In Markus Gisdol, HSV have a coach who is able to take on this challenging task with the necessary calm and experience in battling relegation. With the available quality of the squad, Hamburg should be able to hold onto their unique status as the only original member still in the Bundesliga in spite of the possibility of further turbulence in this campaign.
Standing on the pitch where the Werkself players perform - for many Bayer 04 club members, this wish became reality at this year's Members' kickabout. Around 400 active participants of all ages took the opportunity to experience the BayArena from a new and special perspective. And there was also plenty going on in the stands: The event attracted more than 1,000 visitors in total and provided an atmospheric end to the season.
Show more
Lying third in the Bundesliga, the Werkself made a faltering start in 2026 after the winter break, but gradually rediscovered winning ways and, as in the previous campaign, were among the top 16 in Europe and the top four in the DFB Pokal. In the Bundesliga, the Werkself also remained in the race for Champions League qualification right to the end. However, because setbacks repeatedly crept into the Werkself's performances between good displays and crucial games, it was not quite enough to secure a UCL spot in the end. A season with many ups and downs brought sixth place and qualification for the UEFA Europa League. Part II of the review of the 2025/26 season.
Show more
Rogier Meijer is leaving Bayer 04 Leverkusen and returning to his native Netherlands: The 44-year-old will take over at Eredivisie club Sparta Rotterdam on 1 July. Meijer has been part of the Werkself coaching set-up since the start of the 2025/26 season - first as assistant coach to Erik ten Hag, then on Kasper Hjulmand's staff.
Show more
Following the final match of the 2025/26 season, the prevailing feeling was naturally one of disappointment after missing out on qualification for the Champions League. The Werkself finished the Bundesliga in sixth place, meaning they'll start the 2026/27 campaign in the Europa League. "But to talk negatively about everything now because of that would be wrong," stressed captain Robert Andrich following the final game, knowing that the past year at Bayer 04 was marked, more than almost any other, by the start of a new era and the courage to change – and in particular, the belief in a positive direction. Everyone was aware this process would need time. The first part of the 2025/26 season review.
Show more
