First in the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg – and four days later in the “Bilino Polje” arena in the Bosnian-Herzegovinian city of Zenica: Dennis Hadzikdadunic has two groundbreaking games waiting for him within a short space of time. In the home duel between his HSV and SV Wehen Wiesbaden on Sunday (1.30 p.m., live ticker on MOPO.de), nothing less than the mood that has recently begun to change is at stake. And if the game against the newly promoted team wasn’t highlight enough given the current explosiveness around the Volkspark, there’s definitely one waiting for Hadzikadunic on Thursday. And the defender is not alone among the HSV professionals. The only question is: How do you feel about the highlights of the international match?
“I think anything is possible,” Hadzikadunic told the HSV club media at the beginning of the weekend. He could also have been referring to the HSV game against Wiebaden on Sunday, but the 25-year-old’s statement is aimed at the upcoming challenge for him and the Bosnia-Herzegovina national team. On Thursday, Hadzikadunic and Co. will play in the playoffs for one of the three remaining starting places for the 2024 European Championship in Germany.
Hadzikadunic and Suhonen are fighting for participation in the European Championship
If Bosnia-Herzegovina wins in the semifinals against Ukraine (March 21) and then (possibly on March 26) against the winner of the game Israel against Ireland, the home country of Hadzikadunic’s parents would be at the tournament in the summer. “It would be very big for us to play here in Germany,” says the HSV professional, who was signed for a year by Russian club FK Rostov in the summer. “That would be very cool. We have to give everything as a team to get to the European Championships.” Especially since it is a “great honor” for him and his family that he can be a national player (25 international matches so far).
However, Hadzikadunic is not the only HSV professional who wants to fulfill his dream of participating in the European Championship. Anssi Suhonen is also still fighting for qualification with the Finnish senior national team, first meeting Wales on Thursday before going into the final against Poland or Estonia. If everything goes according to plan, Finland would slip into European Championship Group D with France, the Netherlands and Austria – there would still be a place available in Group B for Hadzikadunic and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Not only Belgium and Romania would be waiting there as opponents in the summer, but also Slovakia around Hadzikadunic’ HSV colleague László Bénes.
Bénes is also on an international trip – Németh not this time
The Slovaks are already safely qualified and will therefore play two friendly matches against Austria (March 23rd) and in Norway (March 26th) during the upcoming international break. While Bénes is there, Slovakia are still planning to play without Ludovit Reis for the time being. And speaking of planning: András Németh currently plays no role in Hungary’s national coach Marco Rossi’s team; the HSV striker, who has been goalless for a year, was not selected for the upcoming friendly games against Turkey (March 22) and Kosovo by the national team, which has already qualified for the European Championships (March 26) nominated. It is an untimely disregard, as Németh’s originally great hopes of participating in the European Championships now seem to be significantly smaller.
The 21-year-old will continue to be in Hamburg next week – just like U17 world champion Bilal Yalcinkaya, who was nominated for the German U18 national team’s upcoming international hat-trick at a tournament in Spain. But the 17-year-old is out injured for the time being due to a torn lateral ligament. Ignace Van der Brempt, who suffers from muscular problems, doesn’t seem to have had it that bad. However, it is questionable whether the 21-year-old – despite being nominated – will travel with the Belgian U21 national team to the two qualifying games against Malta (March 21) and Spain (March 26) for the 2025 U21 European Championship. What is clear, however, is that Van der Brempt will be out on Sunday – which is why Hadzikadunic will have another man on the right side in the HSV defense.
Hadzikadunic: “I’m very happy to play for HSV”
But regardless of individual names: “I am very happy to play for HSV. It’s a great team and I’m very happy here,” emphasizes Hadzikadunic, who has already had to deal with a few setbacks this season, but was recently given a regular place by Steffen Baumgart. “This is very important. I now have the coach’s trust, my feeling is very good,” says Hadzikadunic happily and praises: “For me he is a good coach.” Like the entire HSV, he needs a sense of success again against Wiesbaden.
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“It’s simple: we have to win on Sunday. That is our goal and that is what we have to do,” says Hadzikadunic, formulating the apparently simple mission. What makes the central defender confident is the “very great quality in our team”. This should now lead to a three-pointer against Wiesbaden after two recent HSV defeats – so that Hadzikadunic and Co. can approach their international match highlights with a good feeling.