Lokonga über HSV-Zukunft, Kompany und seinen harten Weg nach oben | Behind the kicker

Lokonga on HSV's future, Kompany, and his tough road to the top | Behind the kicker Hamburger SV has completed its first Bundesliga season in eight years without any relegation worries. One of the team's key players is Albert Sambi Lokonga, whom the Hanseatic club lured away from Arsenal. In an exclusive interview with "Behind the kicker," the Belgian talks about his anything but easy career path, his famous former coaches Vincent Kompany and Mikel Arteta, and his ambitious goals with HSV. Thanks in large part to the loan signing of Luka Vuskovic, Hamburg is having a relatively carefree season. Even if not all plans have come to fruition, the league is witnessing a new HSV. Merlin Polzin has also played a part in this. The reunion party after more than seven years is set to be a special occasion and will mark the first major milestone. A match that made German football almost certain HSV would find themselves right back where they had just emerged after many failed attempts: in the second division. The 0-2 defeat against St. Pauli, their first home game, felt like the cementing of a changing of the guard in Hamburg. Indeed, in the final days of the transfer window, the newly promoted team significantly altered their squad. And they not only became the top team in the Hanseatic city and the north, but also remained – ultimately quite comfortably – in the top flight. Luka Vuskovic had only been signed a few hours before the city derby and, after a brief warm-up with his new teammates, was relegated to the bench. When HSV won their last home game 3-2 against Freiburg on May 10, 2026, exactly one year after their promotion, the Volksparkstadion paid tribute to the Croatian when Merlin Polzin substituted him. Vuskovic, the 18-year-old younger brother of Mario, who was suspended for doping, arrived on loan from Tottenham and quickly became a symbol of the club's turnaround. Alongside the new defensive leader, midfielders Albert Sambi Lokonga and Fabio Vieira, signed at the last minute, also significantly improved HSV, but the junior leader overshadowed them all. Vuskovic embraced his role as the central figure in a back three and was effective (almost) from the very first moment. His debut took place against none other than Bayern Munich, where HSV had already suffered regular heavy defeats before their relegation. With Vuskovic in the lineup, the match ended in a 0-5 loss. With a goal difference of 0-7 and just one point after three games, the newly promoted side was already under considerable pressure when Heidenheim visited on matchday four. The outcome was a classic story and simultaneously the thread running through the rest of the narrative: Vuskovic scored HSV's first Bundesliga goal in over seven years. And he's always there when it counts. He scores in the heated North Derby against Bremen (3-2), as well as in the 2-2 draw against Bayern. And he returns just in time when the Hanseatic side briefly falters without him. The outcome is straight out of a movie script and simultaneously sets the tone for the rest of the story: Vuskovic scores HSV's first Bundesliga goal in over seven years. And he's always there when it counts. He scores in the heated North Derby against Bremen (3-2), as well as in the 2-2 draw against Bayern. And he returns just in time when the Hanseatic side briefly falters without him. The coach's contribution to a stable debut season is also enormous. After promotion, Polzin, together with his coaching staff, systematically rebuilt the promotion-winning squad and just as rigorously changed the playing style. For seven years, HSV defined itself in the second division as a perennial favorite, primarily through possession-based football. After this long absence, the Hamburg native has correctly recognized that the former powerhouse isn't returning as the mighty HSV, but rather as a typical newly promoted team. Even before the spectacular triple signing in the summer transfer window, important acquisitions for increased intensity were secured: Nicolai Remberg, relegated with Kiel last year, is making an impact in central midfield, as is Nicolas Capaldo. The Argentinian, however, needs some time to settle in. He loses his place in midfield when Fabio Vieira and Lokonga arrive, but after a serious ankle injury to center-back Warmed Omari, the new signing from RB Salzburg moves into the back three and, in this role, becomes a leader and driving force. ► Subscribe to the channel so you don't miss any more videos! ► Subscribe to the channel so you don't miss any more videos! ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ...► ► ► ► ► ► Follow us on our other social media channels: ► Instagram:   / kicker   ► Facebook:   / kickeronline   ► Twitter:   / kicker_bl_li   ► TikTok: https://tiktok.com/kicker Our offers: ► kicker App for iOS and Android: https://hyperurl.co/kickerapp ► Website: https://www.kicker.de ► kicker eSport: https://esport.kicker.de