Overview
- Mario Vuskovic's four-year suspension ends and he is scheduled to start for Hamburger SV in the friendly against Hajduk Split on Sunday.
- Coach Merlin Polzin has earmarked Vuskovic for a central role in the club's three-man defence but stressed he must earn minutes and that the staff will track his load during the match.
- Nicolás Capaldo is also close to a comeback and expected to play in the same test, while 19-year-old Shafiq Nandja's recent form has strengthened his claim for defensive minutes.
- HSV are managing several players' minutes ahead of the Nordderby on November 22 with Terem Moffi, Miro Muheim and Fábio Vieira being built up gradually and Yussuf Poulsen's availability unclear after he left training early.
- Vuskovic's return follows a 2022 EPO positive and a CAS decision that extended his ban to four years, a history that adds reputational weight to his comeback and complicates selection choices for the club.