Hamburger SV vs. RB Leipzig preview: HSV aiming to extend unbeaten streak

Hamburg

Hamburg have won two and drawn four of their last six games since losing 2-1 to Freiburg on January 10. HSV followed three consecutive draws with wins over Heidenheim and Union Berlin, before they played out a 1-1 draw in their recent away clash with Mainz 05. Fabio Vieira netted his third Bundesliga goal of the season to cancel out Nadiem Amiri’s opener at the Mewa Arena, taking his team’s tally to 26 points from 22 games.

While they have proven to be a tough team to beat in recent weeks, Merlin Polzin’s side cannot afford to rest on their laurels in their quest to avoid an immediate return to the second tier. Having collected 26 points from 22 games, HSV will head into Sunday’s fixture in 11th place and four points clear of the bottom three. 

HSV know they will face a tough test against Champions League-chasing Leipzig, but they can take confidence from the fact they have avoided defeat in each of their last seven Bundesliga home matches since suffering a 1-0 loss to Wolfsburg in October. 

Team News

Hamburg are unable to call upon Alexander Røssing-Lelesiit and Albert Grønbæk due to injury. In positive news, Luka Vušković returns from a one-match ban, while Albert Sambi Lokonga is available following a two-game injury absence. 

Predicted lineup: Fernandes; Capaldo, Vušković, Torunarigha; Jatta, Vieira, Remberg, Muheim; Königsdörffer, Otele, Downs

RB Leipzig

Leipzig will enter Sunday’s fixture on the back of a poor run of results that has seen them win just one of their last six competitive matches (D3, L1). In fact, die Roten Bullen have gone three consecutive matches without a win since beating Köln 2-1 on February 8. They followed that result with a 2-0 defeat to Bayern Munich in the DFB-Pokal quarter-finals, before they played out consecutive 2-2 draws against Wolfsburg and Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga. 

Ole Werner’s side would have been particularly frustrated to miss out on all three points against Dortmund, given the fact they were two goals ahead at the break and 2-1 up going into stoppage time. Fábio Silva netted a 95th-minute equaliser to ensure Leipzig had to settle for a share of the spoils, leaving them in fifth spot and two points adrift of the top four ahead of Sunday’s away trip.

Leipzig are looking to complete a league double over Hamburg after claiming a 2-1 victory in October’s reverse fixture thanks to a Christoph Baumgartner brace. They should fancy their chances of achieving that feat, having won all of their previous three competitive away games against HSV. 

Team News

Leipzig are unable to call upon ​​Péter Gulácsi, Viggo Gebel, Assan Ouédraogo, Xaver Schlager and Kosta Nedeljković. January addition Suleman Sani has returned to training, but will not be ready for Sunday’s game due to a lack of match fitness.

Predicted lineup: Vandevoordt; Baku, Orbán, Lukeba, Raum; Gruda, Seiwald, Baumgartner; Diomande, Nusa, Rômulo