Hamburg SV vs Union Berlin – News and Probable Lineups

In a bid to strengthen their fight for survival in the Bundesliga, promoted team Hamburgo SV is set to face Union Berlin at Volksparkstadion this Saturday.

HSV aims to extend their unbeaten streak to five games this weekend, while Die Eisernen will be eager to secure their first victory of 2026.

Match overview

After finishing second in the 2.Bundesliga during the 2024-25 season, Hamburgo has successfully moved up to the top tier, and despite some skepticism about their prospects, they have shown commendable resilience under coach Merlin Polzin in recent matches.

Last Saturday, HSV followed their commendable 2-2 draw against league leaders Bayern Munich by defeating relegation candidates Heidenheim 2-0 away from home, where they netted once in each half thanks to goals from Ransford Konigsdorffer and Rayan Philippe.

This victory propelled Polzin’s squad to 11th place in the standings, now sitting three points ahead of 16th-ranked Werder Bremen, who are in the relegation zone.

As they aim to create distance from the bottom three this weekend, the hosts can find confidence in the fact that they have lost only once at Volksparkstadion in league play this season, with Hamburgo remaining undefeated at home in this competition since late October.

Another win on Saturday would enable HSV to surpass their rivals, possibly pushing them into ninth position in the Bundesliga, while a defeat could drag them closer to the relegation battle as they remain within reach of Die Werderaner.

On the other hand, Steffen Baumgart’s Union concluded 2025 with consecutive victories, defeating RB Leipzig 3-1 and FC Koln 1-0. However, it is fair to say that their aspirations for European competition have taken a significant blow in the early weeks of 2026.

Die Eisernen played to a 1-1 draw with Eintracht Frankfurt last Friday, which, while preventing a third consecutive loss, extended their winless stretch to six matches.

This disappointing start to the new year sees Baumgart’s squad currently sitting ninth in the league, a daunting 11 points behind sixth-placed Bayer Leverkusen and just six above the relegation spots.

Anxious for their team to reclaim their momentum with a win, some away supporters might take heart from Union’s record of only one defeat in their last four competitive away games, which was a 3-1 loss to Hoffenheim on January 31.

Conversely, some of the more pessimistic supporters among the Die Eisernen fans will point out that the capital club has managed just one victory in their last five away fixtures, with two losses and two draws in that period.

If that was not concerning enough, Baumgart’s team has not kept a clean sheet this year, and given the strength of their opponents’ home performance, they will need to exhibit solid defensive play to gain anything from this contest.

Team News

Hamburgo will need to devise strategies in attack this weekend without young wingers Alexander Rossing-Lelesiit and Fabio Amadu Uri Balde, along with January loan addition Albert Gronbaek, who is sidelined with a thigh injury expected to keep him out until next month.

In their absence, Polzin might select Rayan Philippe to play on the right side of his attack, alongside Philip Otele and forward Ransford Konigsdorffer.

Additionally, midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga is on the mend from an ankle injury, while Nicolai Remberg and Fabio Vieira are prepared to start in the heart of the midfield.

For Union, they will miss center-backs Diogo Leite and Tom Rothe due to thigh and muscle injuries, respectively, as well as left wing-back options Josip Juranovic and Robert Skov, who have their own muscle and calf issues.

This Saturday, Danilho Doekhi, Leopold Querfeld, and Stanley Nsoki are expected to form Baumgart’s defensive trio, supported by Christopher Trimmel and Derrick Kohn.

Hamburgo SV probable starting XI:

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

Union Berlin probable starting XI:

Ronnow; Doekhi, Querfeld, Nsoki; Trimmel, Khedira, Kemlein, Kohn; Jeong; Ilic, Ansah

While Hamburgo may be a newly promoted team, they have shown impressive tenacity at their home ground, instilling optimism in their supporters ahead of this fixture.

In contrast, Union have faced challenges in 2026, having not secured a single clean sheet thus far, and their search for a first victory of the year could extend into Saturday.