Robert Glatzel’s injury woes continue. The Hamburg striker is now out for the season with a thigh muscle tear. He previously missed time this year with a foot injury.
The timing couldn’t be worse for HSV. Glatzel had just scored his first Bundesliga goal in over four years during Hamburg’s stunning upset victory over Stuttgart this past weekend. The 30-year-old striker was finally hitting his stride in Germany’s top flight after a long road back from the wilderness.
But football’s cruel irony struck again. The same match that marked Glatzel’s triumphant return to the scoresheet became the moment his season ended. He had to be subbed off with what Hamburg initially hoped was a minor thigh knock.
Medical Tests Deliver Bad News
Hamburg’s medical staff delivered the verdict on Tuesday: torn muscle fibers that will keep Glatzel sidelined through the winter break and beyond. For a club already scrapping in the lower half of the Bundesliga table, losing their most experienced striker is a devastating blow.
The injury crisis at Hamburg runs deeper than just Glatzel. Captain Yussuf Poulsen remains stuck in the treatment room, leaving HSV’s attacking options paper-thin heading into a brutal December schedule.
Ransford-Yeboah Königsdörffer looks like the only viable option up front, but the 24-year-old German-Ghanaian has been inconsistent since scoring his own first Bundesliga goal three matches ago. There’s some relief that he likely won’t get called up for the Africa Cup of Nations, but counting on one striker for survival is a risky gamble.
December Schedule Could Seal Hamburg’s Fate
Hamburg’s December fixtures read like a nightmare scenario for a team already flirting with relegation. Regional rivals Holstein Kiel await in the DFB-Pokal this week – a match that suddenly carries massive importance for club morale.
After that? Fellow Hanseatic city Bremen visits in what promises to be a six-pointer in the relegation battle. Then comes the real test: Hoffenheim and Eintracht Frankfurt to close out the calendar year.
HSV can’t afford to drop points in these remaining three league matches. Failure to pick up wins could see the once-proud club spending their winter break in the relegation zone – a psychological blow that could define their entire season.
What’s Next
Hamburg’s medical staff will be working overtime to get bodies back on the pitch. With Glatzel done and Poulsen’s return date uncertain, the January transfer window suddenly becomes critical for HSV’s survival hopes.
For bettors, Hamburg’s relegation odds just shortened significantly. A team that was already struggling to score goals just lost their most reliable finisher during the most crucial month of their campaign.
