Opposition profile of Bayern's opponents HSV: solid, but harmless?

"Merlin Polzin favours a controlled approach that varies depending on the opponents. Against strong teams like FC Bayern, Hamburg are prepared to line up deeper and play more directly. Long balls and a physical presence up front serve one purpose above all: to relieve pressure without sacrificing structure. Their repertoire also includes a high press and a compact, deep block."

"Goalkeeper Daniel Heuer Fernandes gets actively involved in the build-up play, with a back three of Nicolas Capaldo, Luka Vuskovic and Jordan Torunarigha often forming up in front of him. The right flank is particularly dynamic: Capaldo occasionally pushes well up the pitch and even gets forward of the winger at times. The other centre-backs boldly move out to pack the centre. The goal always remains the same: to secure control, not to open themselves up."

"Bakery Jatta's job is to create width down the right flank. Jatta's attacking approach can commit the opposition defensively so requires Bayern's left winger to get back a lot - a scenario that could present Luis Díaz, for example, with special challenges. Meanwhile, the creative key to HSV's game lies on the left: Miro Muheim interprets his role as being an extreme playmaker, regularly moving into the half-space in midfield or to the edge of the penalty area."

Polzin prefers a controlled, opponent-dependent approach, shifting between deeper, direct setups and higher, pressing systems. Against elite opponents Hamburg often sit deeper and use long balls and a physical target up front to relieve pressure while preserving structure. The team also deploys a high press and a compact deep block when appropriate. Daniel Heuer Fernandes participates in build-up play behind a back three of Nicolas Capaldo, Luka Vuskovic and Jordan Torunarigha. The right flank provides width and dynamism through Capaldo and Bakery Jatta, while the left features Miro Muheim as an advanced playmaker linking with Jean-Luc Dompe9. The asymmetric setup creates overloads but exposes vulnerabilities during transitions and when possession tempo is low.

Read at FC Bayern