Polzin warns Yussuf Poulsen's hip injury deepens HSV's striker crisis

At a press conference on Tuesday, trainer Merlin Polzin announced that 32‑year‑old Danish striker Yussuf Poulsen will miss the DFB‑Pokal clash with Eintracht Frankfurt and the subsequent Bundesliga meeting on Sunday because of a hip problem, adding to a growing list of absences at Hamburger SV.

Midfield setbacks confirmed

HSV suffered a 0‑1 defeat to SC Paderborn on Saturday, a loss that was followed on Monday by the club’s official Nachrichten stating that midfielders Fabio Vieira and Bilal Nadir will be unavailable for several weeks. The twin Ausfall leaves the team short‑handed in the centre of the park.

Christof reported that the string of bad news continued to mount, underscoring the precarious situation the club faces at the start of the week.

Polzin confirms striker Ausfall

During the Tuesday briefing ahead of the cup tie, Polzin confirmed another critical Ausfall: Yussuf Poulsen will not be fit for the match against Eintracht Frankfurt nor for the league encounter the following Sunday. The Danish forward is dealing with hip issues that forced him off at half‑time against Paderborn.

Polzin explained, "Yussy has a bit of problems in the hip area, therefore had to go down at half‑time. That will not be enough for the English week." The coach added that the severity of the problem and the timetable for Poulsen’s return to training remain unclear.

Attacking options dwindling

HSV have already been coping with significant attacking problems. Patson Daka suffered a muscle‑fibre tear in his left thigh during the international break and has been absent since. Meanwhile, Terem Moffi, who battled knee problems earlier, replaced Poulsen at half‑time in the Paderborn game and is now a candidate for the starting XI against Frankfurt.

Youngster Otto Stange, who entered early against Paderborn for the injured Vieira, is also on the club’s shortlist. National‑team player Sambias is available for the cup match, offering a glimmer of relief amid the injury crisis.

Polzin will have to devise a game plan for the double‑header without the experienced striker, relying on a mix of returning players and hopeful youngsters to fill the gaps.