HSV demotes defender Katterbach to the U21

Bundesliga club Hamburger SV has begun its preparations for this coming Sunday's away game against Union Berlin with a dismissal. Defender Noah Katterbach has been sent to the U21 team on an indefinite basis. The reasons for the demotion remain unclear.

When coach Merlin Polzin called his team to their first training session on Tuesday afternoon after the 2-1 win against 1. FC Heidenheim last Saturday, the 24-year-old was already missing from his teammates. Polzin, sporting director Claus Costa, and board member Stefan Kuntz had informed Katterbach before training that he would be "temporarily" transferred to the Regionalliga team, as HSV officially announced shortly afterwards.

"The measure is in effect for the time being and is not a fundamental decision, but a clear reaction to misconduct. All players are equally required to subordinate everything to the common path and goals," the promoted team said.

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HSV failed to provide details about the alleged "misconduct." According to consistent media reports, the Bundesliga club's management was apparently bothered by, among other things, the former U21 international's body language in recent days. The defensive specialist apparently expressed his frustration with his reserve role.

The defender, who had fought his way back to the start of preseason after suffering a cruciate ligament tear in January of this year , has only been in the matchday squad once so far this season. However, he was not used in the 5-0 loss against FC Bayern Munich .

Instead, Polzin relied on William Mikelbrencis on the right flank, who had been considered a potential sale by Hamburg a few weeks earlier. However, the Frenchman only slipped into the starting lineup because new signing Giorgi Gocholeishvili was suspended for a yellow card. Katterbach was also out of the question for Polzin at left back – where Miro Muheim is a regular – and in defensive midfield (a surplus of players).

Jatta and Co. also without perspective

The 24-year-old isn't alone in his frustration. Bakery Jatta, Silvan Hefti, and Gui Ramos have already been made clear that they no longer play a significant role in Polzin's plans. However, the trio were not promoted to the U21s. However, the young coach had already demonstrated that he isn't afraid of this measure after his promotion from assistant to interim coach.

One of the 34-year-old's first actions after coach Steffen Baumgart's departure was to drop Levin Öztunali and Moritz Heyer from the first team last year. While Heyer moved to Fortuna Düsseldorf shortly thereafter, Uwe Seeler's grandson Öztunali still plays for HSV's fourth-division team—on a full salary, by the way.

Bloated cadre creates potential for conflict

For Katterbach, at least according to the Hamburg team's communication, the path back to the top is not blocked. "The club is convinced that Noah Katterbach will use the current period of reflection and emerge from this situation stronger than ever, thus enabling him to return to the first team," a statement from HSV said.

It remains to be seen if and when the defender will be "pardoned" again. And it also remains to be seen whether other HSV players will share Katterbach's fate over the course of the season. The squad, with 30 players, is so large due to various purchases and loans that some of the long-term reserve players are almost bound to feel frustrated due to the lack of sporting prospects.