An eventful match at the Volksparkstadion resulted in HSV being finally relegated. However, it was an afternoon to be proud of for most of Hamburg’s support, proving the magnitude of the club will pull them through.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/A. Grimm
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It was a surreal day in Hamburg. Despite the fact that HSV went into matchday 34 needing a miracle to keep their record as the only side ever to stay in the Bundesliga in its current form, the streets were full of people that looked — and spoke — like they believe their beloved Hamburg can pull off the escape of all escapes.
Asking a group of five Hamburg fans for their bets ahead of the game, all of them thought their team would somehow pull it off. Up until the moment Max revealed the unfortunate truth. "We have to be… erm… realistic,” he said with a heavy Hamburg accent. His friends made sure to silence him. "Stop it, Max!”
When the players arrived at the Volksparkstadion, the fans showed them exactly how much this game matters to them. No matter how small the chances, for the HSV faithful it was about the fight. It was about pride. And most of all, it was about the players showing the same passion their fans have shown so many times over the years.
'Home, sweet home'
And it worked. The atmosphere at the ground was electric. The traditional Hamburg anthem was sung with the pathos of a cup final.
"When I'm away,
Be it in Juve or in Rome,
I think of Hamburg, my pearl,
And sing: Home, Sweet, Home.”
The players looked just as affected by the atmosphere. Endless runs, tackles and aggression reserved for a World Cup final showed that the message had been received. And along came the first goal, after VAR awarded a penalty for handball.
When Borussia Mönchengladbach equalized, the stadium was silenced for a few short moments. However, the Nordtribüne made sure the volume was quickly restored. Hamburg were back in the rhythm, and again, the players' fighting spirit showed they're not willing to give up just yet.
These were tense moments, supporters constantly looking up to the big screen to check for an update from the Wolfsburg game. The occasional chant supporting Cologne was heard in the Hamburg stands. But the tensions were mostly translated into passionate support for the local side, through non-stop singing and jumping, led by the Nordtribüne.
And it worked. HSV scored a second, and the stadium went wild.
Still, the travelling Gladbach fans taunted their hosts with a clock counting backwards towards HSV's official relegation, and the reaction from the home end was unwavering. The away end's chanting was swallowed by the decibels created by the HSV fans.
'Even when times are hard'
As the end of the game, and indeed the season, edged closer, it was clear that HSV would not manage to escape relegation this time. But the home fans let their players know that they can forgive:
"Hamburg I love you so,
Even when the times are often hard,
I know that I belong here,
Where I was born,
Where I played as a kid,
In the streets that I call home.”
Tears were running down the eyes of some fans, as if they themselves felt like they could stop their club's first ever relegation with their voices alone. Chants about local rivals St. Pauli were their way of saying: 2. Bundesliga, we're on our way.
Play was stopped for several minutes in stoppage time after some fans threw pyrotechnics on the field.Image: picture-alliance/dpa/A. Heimken
And then, just before the final whistle, a series of explosions was heard.
A small group of HSV fans started throwing pyrotechnic devices towards the pitch, causing the match to be stopped. It felt like a complete distortion of the fans' reaction from minutes beforehand. The majority of Hamburg's support, however, made sure that their club will earn their dignity and respect that were seemingly hurt by the actions of a few.
'We are the people of Hamburg'
Chants of "We are the people of Hamburg, you are not” were heard from most of the stadium, the Nordtribüne included. Hamburg's different fan groups were not willing to let that ruin their final goodbye from the Bundesliga. Once the group that caused the match to be stopped started leaving the stadium, the rest of Hamburg's active support started calling them "cowards,” accusing them of running away from the massive police presence that awaited on the pitch.
And that was it. The clock has officially stopped, and Hamburg will play in the 2. Bundesliga next season. But a club of HSV's stature is well-equipped to deal with the fall, both on and off the pitch. The fans have certainly showed that they're behind their club, even "when times are often hard.” Now bring on the Hamburg derby.
Bundesliga: From Keegan to Van der Vaart: Hamburg’s international stars
It's finally happened. The only Bundesliga club never to have been relegated, are on their way to the second division. DW looks back on the foreign stars who made their mark during Hamburg’s 54-year Bundesliga history.
Image: picture-alliance/empics/P. Robinson
Rafael van der Vaart
Few footballers enjoyed the unconditional love of the HSV fans the way Rafael van der Vaart did. The Dutchman first touched down on the Hanseatic shores in 2005 and played an integral role in clinching European qualification in all three seasons of his first stint at the club. The second came after he'd spent time on the books at Real Madrid and Tottenham - when Hamburg were desperate for heroics.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/R. Hartmann
Kevin Keegan
Like van der Vaart, Kevin Keegan was also brought in during a time of need when the club stumped up a substantial sum to sign him from Liverpool in 1977. A rocky start that saw him banned for eight weeks after knocking out an opponent soon gave way to strong form and success. "Mächtig Maus" (Mighty Mouse) as he was affectionately known, went on to win the Ballon d’Or twice in three seasons.
Image: picture-alliance/empics/P. Robinson
David Jarolim
David Jarolim took to the field 344 times in all competitions during a nine-year spell in the northern port city - more than any other non-German player. The Czech international joined in 2003 and experienced both highs and lows at the club. From finishing as high as third in 2006 and qualifying for Europe four years running to the club’s downward spiral following the turn of the decade.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/M. Rose
Sergej Barbarez
Not many footballers can claim to have a street named after them. Barbarez can. The three-time Bosnia-Herzegovnian footballer of the year received the honor in his native Mostar. Barbarez is the club’s record foreign scorer with 76 goals in all competitions, which included a 22-goal haul in the Bundesliga that secured him the scoring title in 2001.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/A. Hassenstein
Ivica Olic
This list would not be complete without the player who scored Hamburg’s first-ever natural hat trick – three unanswered, consecutive goals in one half. Olic achieved the feat in a 4-1 win over Stuttgart in 2007, but will be remembered for much more having spent a combined three-and-a-half seasons in Hamburg over the course of two stints at the club.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/M. Rose
Ze Roberto
Ze Roberto is a Bundesliga legend who left an impression on every club he played for during an illustrious career. Like at Leverkusen and Bayern Munich before, the Brazilian was a first-team regular during his time at Hamburg. Having been a winger in his early career, at HSV he played the role of midfield general whose calm presence balanced out the egocentric wannabes in the team.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/A. Grimm
Mehdi Mahdavikia
One of the most memorable Middle Eastern footballers of his generation, Mehdi Mahdavikia's 263 outings in all competitions only fall short only of Jarolim's on the list of Hamburg’s foreign appearance makers. The Iranian saw a loan deal made permanent by HSV as he went on to be named the club’s 'player of the year’ two years running in 2003 and 2004.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/M. Rose
Heung-min Son
Son has a special place on this list given that he’s the only player to have come through Hamburg’s youth academy. The South Korean megastar moved from Seoul in 2008 and went onto become one of the club’s biggest talents of recent years. Unfortunately for the club, his rise to prominence coincided with a string of poor finishes that prevented HSV from holding onto his services for longer.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/D. Kopatsch
Vincent Kompany
The imprint that Vincent Kompany left on Hamburg looks somewhat like two feet planted on a springboard. The Belgian only made 51 appearances for HSV in all competitions, but still has kind words for the club that gave him his big break on the European circuit. The now three-time Premier League champion helped the club secure European qualification in his first season as a 20-year-old.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/M. Rose
Mladen Petric
With a left-foot that boasted as much finesse as it did raw power, Petric scored some of the most memorable goals in Hamburg history during a four-year stint in the port city. Stunning free-kicks and first-time volleys were commonplace among the 61 goals he scored in 136 games in all competitions. The Croatian almost single-handedly fired HSV to the Europa League final in 2010.