At the end of training on Friday, coach Tim Walter asked his players to form a circle on the pitch.

Symbolic union, shoulder to shoulder - then he gave his speech.

"I always do that," said the Hamburger SV coach, "it wasn't anything special for the game against Werder Bremen." Live ticker for the 2nd Bundesliga and on Sky) in the Volksparkstadion, but part of the communication between the team and the coach, which is apparently a secret of the success of HSV 2022.

For the 110th time since the Bundesliga was founded, the always explosive northern derby is increasing.

Werder is top of the table, HSV second – that has only happened once in the eternal history of this game: On January 31, 2007, Bremen won 2-0 in Hamburg – back then it was still in the premier league.

"It's always a big game," said Walter, "we know how much that means for our cities and the fans."

This seems to be the case in Bremen in particular.

The Werder fans want to say goodbye to their team on the way to Hamburg at the Weser Stadium.

A total of 25,000 spectators are allowed in the stadium, thanks to a special permit from the Hamburg Senate, as was the case on March 2 in the DFB Cup against Karlsruher SC - much to the delight of HSV.

"We form a great unit with our fans," said Walter, "they have developed like us this season."

"These four games in 19 days"

Despite the importance of the game, the mood in Hamburg seems a little different than in the past.

It's hard to grasp, but somehow the great tension is missing.

The game is not considered a "high security game" by the police.

In the fourth year of the second division, the city derby against FC St. Pauli gained greater emotional significance for HSV fans.

On the other hand, after a three-year break, it is the first time that the green-white rival has returned to Hamburg.

And of course, if you manage to win, like in the 2-0 win in the first leg, then that's a special satisfaction.

The old stories are still present after all.

Above all, "these four games in 19 days", according to Werder's chief scout Clemens Fritz, who was there in 2009 when Bremen promoted HSV one after the other from the DFB Cup and the UEFA Cup and also allowed him to take part in the Champions League spoiled.

The famous "paper ball", which played a decisive role in the game at the time, is still in the Werder Museum today.

This heyday for both clubs is long gone.

The decline came slowly but steadily, first at HSV and then at Werder.

So now second class.

But: The two northern teams are currently the teams with the best form in the highly exciting league.

Werder have won seven times and drawn only once (most recently against Ingolstadt) in the eight games under coach Ole Werner, thus climbing to first place.

HSV is the only team in German professional football that is unbeaten at home, has the fewest defeats with two and the fewest goals (21).

HSV has developed into a specialist when it comes to league leaders' falls, having already won against FC St. Pauli and Darmstadt 98 this year. "We know what we can do," said Walter, "we're looking forward to it Game, it's the next step and will take us further." Colleague Werner obviously wants to use the confidence from the past games: "We're top of the table, that's how we want to appear.

Even if it gets difficult.”

The two coaches know each other well.

Tim Walter, 46, and Ole Werner, 33, spent the 18/19 season together in Kiel.

In the cramped changing area at Holstein, their small trainer cabins were only three or four meters apart.

Walter was the head coach of the pros at the time, Werner coached the U23s for years. "He's a very meticulous worker and a pleasant person," says Walter, "he was very successful in Kiel and is now again."

Werner rates HSV's variable, ball-possession-oriented attacking game very highly: "HSV plays football in a way that is a bit unique in terms of approach." You have to be prepared for that.

It will be interesting to see who is better at asserting their style.

Werder has the best strike duo in the league in Niclas Füllkrug and Marvin Ducksch, while HSV has the best preparer in Sonny Kittel.

"Bremen may have more individual class and more experience," says Walter, "we come through the collective, lots of possession and courage."

The fact that HSV has regularly lost promotion in the second half of the season in the past three years is due to him.

And the expectation of many fans is that this will also be the case this year.

However, there are indications that things could be different now.

The team looks solid, Walter reaches the players.

"Our squad has really grown much closer together," says sporting director Jonas Boldt, "I think soccer Germany is excited."