Feature: Back to life: Hamburg lives to fight again

By Oliver Trust

BERLIN, 4 May (Xinhua) -- A few weeks ago, Hamburger SV was regarded as being dead and buried.

The club had sacked its sporting director, chairman, and president followed shortly by the coach. Relegation seemed to be a certainty. Appointing Christian Titz was basically an act of desperation.

To everyone's surprise, the former U-21 coach has brought the incurable patient back to life.

With only two matches left, Hamburg (28 points), VfL Wolfsburg (30), Mainz 05 (33) and SC Freiburg (33) are battling to avoid the drop along with Cologne.

Hamburg's chances are small as the side has been teetering on the edge for some time. One wrong step could seal their destiny in the match against Eintracht Frankfurt, a must-win game for Hamburg who also have to hope their rivals drop points. "Frankfurt is our semifinal," Titz stressed.

Titz is Hamburg's third coach of the season, but the first one that has successfully fought against the fatalism that paralyzed the club. His measures to reverse the situation have been both simple and revitalizing. Players banned by former coaches are back in the fold and talented youngsters have been plucked from the youth teams.

Since March 12, Hamburg has managed to win ten points from six games.

While fans in Germany are debating whether Hamburg deserves to survive, especially after the club's mismanagement over many years, Titz and his squad are determined to fight.

Form appears to be in Hamburg's favor, something even their closest rival Wolfsburg has to admit. Curiously, Bruno Labbadia is trying to get Wolfsburg back on track.

Three years ago, the former striker was in charge of the Hamburg side that narrowly escaped being relegated by beating second division Karlsruher SC in the last minute of the relegation play-off. The 52-year-old Labbadia was named "Hamburg's Man of the Year" but was promptly sacked in September 2016.

The remaining games appear to be a tough ask, as Wolfsburg's next match is against RB Leipzig, a club still very much in the running for a place in Europe.

Titz changed the team's tactical approach as Hamburg is trying to shape the game instead of only reacting. Confidence seems to have returned although the future of the 1983 European Cup winner is uncertain due to its dependency on external investor support.

"We live the moment," coach Titz underlines. "The only thing that is in our minds at present is to secure the first division [place]. It is great to feel the confidence that we can influence the club's future." Enditem