Overview

• Coach Merlin Polzin confirmed Daniel Heuer Fernandes as starting goalkeeper for Sunday’s opener at Borussia Mönchengladbach and projected confidence for the team’s top-flight return.
• Club officials have lowered expectations to a survival goal and are channeling fan enthusiasm through the newly released OMR/ZDF docu-series “Always Hamburg.”
• Sport chief Stefan Kuntz says the squad has “a little room to improve” and is still seeking a right-sided center back and a creative midfielder.
• Form questions linger after five consecutive friendly defeats by a 2:14 aggregate and a labored 2:1 extra‑time win over fifth‑tier FK Pirmasens in the DFB-Pokal.
• The rebuilt roster is still bedding in, with new captain Yussuf Poulsen not yet fully fit and winger Jean‑Luc Dompé only a candidate for limited minutes per Polzin.