Bruno Labbadia begins his mission to save bottom-side Hamburg from an historic relegation from the Bundesliga in Sunday’s north German derby against Werder Bremen with just six league games left.
The 49-year-old was appointed as Hamburg’s fourth coach this season on Wednesday after his predecessor Peter Knaebel was sacked despite being in charge for just two games.
After taking just two points from their last eight games, Hamburg are bottom of the Bundesliga and started the weekend four points from safety as the only team in Germany’s top flight to have never been relegated.
Labbadia, who is in his second stint at Hamburg after being sacked in 2010 despite only nine months in charge, took the team on a three-day training camp to help “get their heads right” for the Bremen clash.
Labbadia is set to name strikers Pierre-Michel Lasogga and Ivica Olic, plus attacking midfielder Raffael van der Vaart, even though the trio have failed to score in the last five games, but getting three points at Bremen is now crucial.
“We have been very clear with the team in our dealings, I am convinced that everyone wants this,” said Labbadia.
“We have to be like a fortress in Bremen.
“We’ve not been talking about what anyone can’t do, we have only been talking about our strengths and they are what I am asking for from everyone here.”
Labbadia is set to include Swiss midfielder Valon Behrami despite his half-time bust-up with team-mate Johan Djourou during last weekend’s 2-0 defeat to VfL Wolfsburg, for which the club fined both players.
Djourou is suspended for the Bremen match after being sent off late on against Wolves.