Hamburg urgently needs problem-solvers

Defender Sebastiaan Bornauw suffered an injury during Hamburg's 1–3 DFB-Pokal loss to Frankfurt, compounding an already depleted squad missing six regulars.

Hamburg manager Merlin Polzin had sought to downplay the club's injury crisis ahead of Tuesday's DFB-Pokal tie against Frankfurt, despite the absence of six key players. The injury toll deepened when defender Sebastiaan Bornauw was forced off after the interval during the 1–3 defeat. The mounting absences have become a pressing concern for the club as they navigate the season.