Hamburg May Replace Yussuf Poulsen as Captain Due to Injuries

Hamburg's captain Yussuf Poulsen and head coach Merlin Polzin have suggested that the Danish international may no longer be the skipper for the upcoming Bundesliga season. Polzin's decision to appoint Poulsen as captain last season drew considerable criticism.

Poulsen's limited participation in Hamburg's first pre-season match, playing only 33 minutes on Saturday afternoon, has not eased concerns. It appears another season of careful injury management is in store for the player who was a significant transfer last summer. Consequently, the captain's armband might be passed to another player.

Yussuf Poulsen Suffered Five Injury-Related Absences Last Year

Despite being 32 years old and a 86-cap Danish international, Poulsen managed only one start in his 15 Bundesliga appearances. His longest spell on the pitch was just over an hour during a matchday ten draw against Borussia Dortmund in November 2025. Poulsen scored his sole league goal for Hamburg a few weeks later, in a December derby win against northern rivals Werder Bremen.

In his 15 substitute appearances in the league, Poulsen was only brought on before the hour mark once. Poulsen's persistent injury issues have been ongoing for over two years. The former RB Leipzig star has spent his entire summer recuperating at the training grounds of his hometown club, Lyngby, in Copenhagen. He did, however, score in a 3-2 away loss to Austria Wien.

Hamburg's Statements on the Situation

"We were aware beforehand that Yussi could play for half an hour," Polzin stated after the match, as reported by Kicker. "We did not want to take any unnecessary risks. Yussi's body is as it is. He is an important part of our team, regardless of his playing time or role."

"Just one start for him last season was, naturally, unsatisfactory for both him and us," Polzin continued. "We need to learn from that. Yussi is full of energy and is genuinely looking forward to a season with more starts."

"However, the squad is not yet complete," Polzin concluded. "There are matters that need to be discussed internally before they are made public."

"I am not afraid and will do whatever is asked of me," Poulsen commented.