Merlin Polzin explains Jordan Torunarigha half-time exit

Jordan Torunarigha’s afternoon ended at half-time as Hamburg suffered a 5-0 defeat to Mainz, but head coach Merlin Polzin insisted the defender was not withdrawn because of an injury.

The 29-year-old centre-back remained in the dressing room after the break, with HSV making a triple substitution following a difficult first half.

“It was a sporting decision,” Polzin said in his post-match press conference. The coach acted decisively after a display that fell well below Hamburg’s standards, but he refused to single out Torunarigha as the main reason for the result.

“The players know that we always go through these phases together. It is never about picking out individuals, whether performances are good or bad,” Polzin explained. He acknowledged that the team had failed to match either its own expectations or its available quality, while stressing that collective responsibility remained essential.

Torunarigha “belongs, like everyone else, to the first and second half,” Polzin added, underlining that one player could not carry the blame for such a disappointing afternoon. The coach accepted that the early change was “certainly not nice” for the defender, but framed it as a necessary tactical response.

Hamburg now face another demanding Bundesliga assignment away at RB Leipzig next weekend. Polzin will hope his side responds with greater resilience after their humbling loss to Mainz.