Hamburg
Position: 1st
Points: 53 (30 games)
Goals: 65-38 (+27)

Last 5 results:

• Drew 2-2 vs. Schalke
• Lost 4-2 vs. Eintracht Braunschweig
• Won 3-0 vs. Nuremberg
• Drew 0-0 vs. Elversberg
• Won 3-0 vs. Magdeburg

Remaining matches:

• Karlsruhe (h)
• Darmstadt (a)
• Ulm (H)
• Greuther Fürth (a)

Now in their seventh year in the second tier, Hamburg are once again in the hunt for promotion. Steffen Baumgart started the campaign in the dugout but was relieved of his duties after HSV dropped down to eighth in November. However, the Red Shorts have lost just twice under 34-year-old replacement Merlin Polzin, who has steered them to the top of the league and a five-point cushion over the play-off spot with four games remaining, all against teams currently in the bottom half of the table.