Hamburg SV vs RB Leipzig – News and Probable Lineups

RB Leipzig will travel to Volksparkstadion on Sunday, competing for a spot in the Bundesliga’s top four against newly promoted Hamburgo SV.

HSV aims to secure a third victory in four matches this weekend, while Die Roten Bullen are in search of their first win in three games.

Match overview

After finishing second in 2.Bundesliga last season, Merlin Polzin’s Hamburgo has worked hard to secure their place in the top flight. Although they have encountered challenges this season, their confidence is increasing as the season progresses.

In their latest fixture, HSV managed to equalize in a 1-1 draw against Mainz 05 on February 20, following a 3-2 win over Union Berlin and a 2-0 success against Heidenheim, bringing their unbeaten streak to six matches.

Being one of only two Bundesliga teams to remain unbeaten during this stretch – with only Borussia Dortmund above them – Polzin’s squad has risen to 11th place, sitting on 26 points, which places them six points clear of 16th-placed St Pauli, who are in the relegation playoff position.

Hoping to further distance themselves from the relegation zone, Hamburgo’s strong home form, characterized by just two league defeats in 2025-26, inspires confidence for this matchup, despite the contrasting aspirations of the two teams.

Additionally, it’s noteworthy that the hosts have not suffered a top-flight defeat at Volksparkstadion since late October, where they secured three victories and four draws in their Bundesliga fixtures at home since that 1-0 loss against Wolfsburg.

In contrast, Leipzig was unable to qualify for the Champions League in 2024-25, having become a regular in Europe’s elite club competition, and Ole Werner hopes that securing three points this weekend will put them back on the right path.

Currently sitting fifth in the Bundesliga, Die Roten Bullen are just two points shy of fourth-placed Stuttgart, but a series of setbacks have allowed their competitors to overtake them.

Last Saturday, a 2-2 draw against title-chasing Dortmund left Werner’s side feeling disappointed, especially given they held a two-goal advantage at halftime but were unable to maintain it in the second half.

This draw followed another frustrating result; a 2-2 stalemate against relegation-threatened Wolfsburg, meaning that they have not claimed victory in the Bundesliga since a 2-1 win over FC Koln on February 8.

This makes Sunday’s fixture increasingly crucial for Die Roten Bullen, who are desperate to regain momentum, though their recent away form shows only two wins from the last seven games in all competitions since October, resulting in skepticism among fans.

Team News

For this weekend, Hamburgo will be missing left wingers Albert Gronbaek and Alexander Rossing-Lelesiit due to thigh and ankle injuries respectively, but Polzin has confirmed that the rest of the squad is “fired up and ready to go.”

With this in mind, Ransford Konigsdorffer and Philip Otele are likely to support striker Robert Glatzel from the wings, while Nicolai Remberg and Fabio Vieira will manage the central midfield.

On the Leipzig side, they will be without first-choice goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi as he recovers from a knee injury, though Maarten Vandevoordt is set to take the position between the posts this Sunday.

In the midfield, both Forzan Assan Ouedraogo (knee) and Xaver Schlager (groin) are unavailable, prompting Werner to possibly opt for a central trio of Nicolas Seiwald, Christoph Baumgartner and Brajan Gruda in their absence.

Further forward, left winger Ayodele Thomas is contending with a muscular issue, while fellow 18-year-old Viggo Gebel is out for the season due to rehabilitation from an anterior cruciate ligament injury. However, Yan Diomande and Antonio Nusa are likely to join Romulo Cardoso up front.

Additionally, right-back Kosta Nedeljkovic is sidelined with a back injury, and Ridle Baku is expected to start wide of centre-backs Willi Orban and Castello Lukeba.

Hamburgo SV probable starting XI:

Fernandes; Capaldo, Vuskovic, Torunarigha; Jatta, Vieira, Remberg, Muheim; Konigsdorffer, Glatzel, Hotels

RB Leipzig probable starting XI:

Vandevoordt; Baku, Orban, Lukeba, Raum; Gruda, Seiwald, Baumgartner; Diomande, Romulo, Nusa

Although Hamburgo may be viewed as the underdogs due to their league standing and status as a newly promoted team, their tenacity cannot be ignored.

Conversely, Leipzig has struggled with consistency in recent matches, and it would not be surprising to see them drop points again on Sunday.