Vuskovic comeback after four years – the unique HSV experiment

The film about the case already exists. One day after Mario Vuskovic's first game for Hamburger SV after his four-year doping ban expired, the world premiere of the documentary "Vuskovic Files - Doping. Scandal. Doubts" will take place on Monday in the Cinemaxx at Hamburg's Dammtor train station. instead of. However, the happy ending in the case has not yet been written. The fact that the film is being shown publicly for the first time on Vuskovic’s 25th birthday is more of a coincidence. But coincidence fits into the emotional mix surrounding the return of the HSV central defender to the football stage.

On Sunday (3 p.m./Sky) the time has come: four years after the start of his ban, Vuskovic will play another game for HSV - against his home club Hajduk Split. Around 50,000 spectators are expected to attend the test match. Emotions guaranteed.

The Croatian is not yet allowed to comment publicly because of his ban. Others do this for and about him. "It's certainly the topic of the week, even if Mario doesn't really want the attention. It's much more important to him that his team perceives him as a competitor, teammate and partner," said coach Merlin Polzin to the media after the training session on Wednesday.

“It means a lot to all of us in the family, but for him it’s something completely different,” said Vuskovic’s younger brother Luka, describing his family’s emotional world at hsv.de. Last season he played on loan for Hamburg, wore Mario's jersey with number 44 and, as head of defense, was a deciding factor in staying in the league.

Now he continues his path to becoming a world-class defender in the Premier League with Brighton & Hove Albion and will only be able to watch the special moment from afar. The 19-year-old is in action with the Croatian selection in the Nations League against the Czech Republic on Sunday evening in Osijek.

Mario Vuskovic's return to the football pitch after a four-year break is, despite all the emotionality, an experiment that has never been seen before in the Bundesliga. Exit open. Nobody knows whether the defender will be able to cope with the demands of the Bundesliga after such a long break. When he was suspended, HSV was playing a class lower. His last game for Hamburg was on November 9, 2022 at SpVgg Greuther Fürth.

There are no doubts about his will and his fitness level. After the 3-1 win against Borussia Mönchengladbach last Friday, the players without national team commitments were given time off at the start of the international break. That was out of the question for Vuskovic.

“He said he wants to train thoroughly, he doesn’t want to take a day’s break, he doesn’t want to go home somewhere, but he’s already full of excitement,” Polzin reported after the Gladbach victory.

Vuskovic has been allowed to train with the team again for two months. More than 6,000 spectators watched his first session on September 15th in the Volksparkstadion. "I think he's ready. He made a good impression in training. Physically he's in good shape," said teammate Albert Grönbaek. He really has enormous respect for him “for how he handled this situation.” Having him in the squad and not just in training is “of course a great thing for all of us”.

Polzin made it clear that there is little room for sports romance in everyday Bundesliga life. Vuskovic has to face the competition in the squad. "We won't give him anything, and he doesn't want that either. From now on he will battle with the other players in his position. You have to earn appearances through performance," said the 36-year-old.

The Vuskovic doping case was special from the start. He has not been allowed to train with a team since November 15, 2022 after the banned substance erythropoietin (Epo) was detected in his urine during a training check in September. To this day he maintains his innocence.

HSV supported him and his family. The club managed to make the case emotionally charged - among the fans and the team. The punishment was and is perceived as unfair or unreasonable. Vuskovic almost became a martyr. One that still cannot be broken. Fans and the team regularly gathered behind the banner with his number 44 and the inscription “Free Vuskovic”. The cause sparked nationwide debates about, among other things, the reliability of the detection method.

“I am convinced that he did nothing wrong – because for me there is simply no evidence of it,” said the then sports director Jonas Boldt to the “Hamburger Abendblatt”. The 44-year-old admitted that the truth will probably never be found out again.

Polzin: "This week is for Mario. You can feel that with him, but also with everyone else," he said. Everything is ready for a happy ending.