Hamburg, the only ever-present club since the Bundesliga was founded in 1963, will be relegated from Germany’s top flight if they lose their playoff clash to Greuther Fuerth.

DPA /Hamburg


Bundesliga stalwarts SV Hamburg need to reverse a run of five successive defeats if they want to avoid unprecedented relegation from Germany’s top flight.
Losing at home to second-division Greuther Fuerth today would not absolutely seal Hamburg’s fate in the relegation/promotion play-off—there is a return leg on Sunday—but coach Mirko Slomka badly needs a positive result in front of frustrated home fans.
Captain Rafael van der Vaart believes playing the first leg at home will not necessarily be a disadvantage against the side that finished third in the second division.
“The pressure is certainly always there with two such important games, no matter where you play the first game,” he told the club’s website.
“But I believe that if we manage not to concede a goal at home it would be an advantage for us (to play the second leg away). In the end though there are two games, 180 minutes, to show that we are better.”
Hamburg have not been relegated since the Bundesliga was launched in 1963, but the three-time league champions and former European champion have experienced their worst-ever season under three different coaches.
Slomka—sacked by Hanover in December—was taken on in February on a two-year contract, which is also valid for the second division.  
Hamburg had previously dismissed Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk after starting the season with Thorsten Fink.
Hamburg have already played Fuerth this season, beating the side from Bavaria 1-0 in the German Cup in September—under interim coach Rodolfo Cardoso following Fink’s sacking—thanks to a goal from Pierre-Michel Lassoga.
Lasogga was back from injury and on target in Saturday’s 3-2 defeat at Mainz in what was an improved Hamburg performance. “He is incredibly important for the team,” van der Vaart said of the striker who is on loan from Hertha Berlin. “He fights, holds the ball up well and scores a lot of goals, and he’s a great guy as well.”
Hamburg midfielders Tolgay Arslan (thigh strain) and Ivo Ilicevic (muscle problem) are injury doubts for the visit of a club who are eager for another Bundesliga adventure.
Fuerth played in the Bundesliga for the first time in the 2012-13 season, but went straight back down with only four wins and none at all at home - a Bundesliga record.
Coach Frank Kramer believes his side are equipped to cause Hamburg problems in their own stadium.
Fuerth may be the outsiders on paper but have the best scoring record in the second division, and Kramer believes Hamburg’s defence—with the most goals conceded in the first division - can be exposed on the break.
“Both teams are strong in attack and will be trying to get forward, and both will be willing to take certain risks,” he said.