Hamburg, 11 May 2025 (dpa/MIA) - Former European champions SV Hamburg stormed back into the Bundesliga after seven agonising years in the second division with an emphatic 6-1 triumph over now relegated Ulm on Saturday.

Ulm led from Tom Gaal in the seventh minute but their fate was effectively sealed when after Ludovit Reis had levelled in the 10th they failed to convert a penalty from Selim Telalovic in the 36th.

Hamburg pounced immediately to lead 3-1 at the half from Ransford Königsdörffer in the 42nd and Davie Selke in stoppage time.

A bizarre own goal from Philipp Strompf four minutes after the restart ended all doubts, Königsdorffer added a classy second in the 62nd before Daniel Elfadli wrapped up matters late on in front of an ecstatic 57,000-strong crowd.

"You can't put it into words, we are back," Hamburg coach Melvin Polzin told Sky TV surrounded by thousands of fans who had invaded the pitch while many others celebrated across the city.

Hamburg born Polzin, who used to watch from the stands, was first promoted from assistant to caretaker and then to full time coach in succession of Steffen Baumgart in late November.

"This is the result of very hard work from everyone involved. It was our ambition from the first day to experience this moment," said Polzin, who also revealed a contract renewal beyond the season.

Selke spoke of "redemption" and "that we are back to where we belong" while board member for sport Stefan Kuntz said it all felt like "someone had shaken a huge bottle of champagne for seven years and today someone finally pulled out the cork.

"We want to strengthen the team and want to play a good role in the Bundesliga in the medium term," Kuntz added.

Hamburg won three Bundesliga titles, the German Cup, the European Cup and the Cup Winners' Cup in their heydays in the late 1970s and first half of the 1980s with a team including Kevin Keegan, Felix Magath, Horst Hrubesch and Manfred Kaltz.

But in 2018 they became the last founding member of the Bundesliga in 1963 to be relegated. They failed six times to return into the top flight, finishing fourth on four occasions and third twice before losing play-off ties.

Part of it was down to their "April curse" or "promotion jitters" in the form of late collapses.

It happened again this term when they managed just one point from the three final April games, but other teams in a tight promotion race also faltered and Hamburg got back on winning tracks last weekend with a 4-0 in Darmstadt.

The team secured promotion with one game to spare.

They are one point ahead of Cologne, who are close to instant promotion back. Elversberg are four points back in the play-off spot in their bid to become the first club in 32 years from the small south-western state of Saarland to reach the top flight.

Photo: printscreen