They are trainers, opponents – and at the same time, really good buddies. The North Derby Werder against HSV (Saturday, 3:30 pm, Sky) will also feature the duel between Daniel Thioune (51) and Merlin Polzin (35). Both share a long, common history.
Thioune brought Polzin into the coaching staff of Osnabrück’s U17 team in 2014. They later took over the first team at VfL, and in 2020, they moved together to HSV. For Thioune, his time in Hamburg was short-lived – he was out of a job in May 2021, while Polzin stayed on as an assistant at HSV and was promoted to head coach in December 2024. Now, they face each other again. For the second time! Polzin won their first encounter in March 2025 in the 2. Bundesliga with a score of 4-1. During that match, Thioune (who had been in Düsseldorf since February) was still coaching there.
Polzin expressed, “I owe Daniel a lot. We had a great journey together, he gave me the chance to land in professional football. I have learned a lot from him as a person.” Their mutual respect will not change, even if things get heated in the Derby on Saturday. Polzin added, “Our friendship will definitely withstand it.”
Polzin versus Thioune. Who will find the right strategy for victory on Saturday? In the first leg, HSV won 3-2, back when Werder was still under the management of Horst Steffen (57). Polzin activated his team with a march before kickoff through the fans. Former HSV and Werder player Aaron Hunt (39) commented, “In my opinion, Thioune did not create a great sense of renewal in Bremen. And if he did, it has already fizzled out. I have to say that Polzin and his coaching staff have positively surprised me. I like Polzin’s approach in the games. HSV, as a promoted team, is having a good and solid season.”
Thioune’s slip of the tongue after the recent 1-3 loss in Cologne revealed that there may still be a little bit of HSV in him. He said, “If we win against Bremen on the weekend, the world might be a little rosier.” His buddy Polzin would certainly agree with that statement.
