The 2021-22 campaign was a season of soaring ambition and heartbreaking near-miss for Hamburger SV, as The Rothosen finished 3rd in the 2. Bundesliga and mounted a fierce push for promotion under manager Tim Walter. Leading the charge was the sensational centre-forward Robert Glatzel, whose league-leading 22 goals proved decisive in a campaign built on attacking flair and a deep run to the DFB-Pokal semi-finals. However, the season remains etched in memory for the final, agonizing disappointment of the Bundesliga promotion play-off, where they fell short against Hertha Berlin, denying the club its long-awaited return to the top flight and marking a defining chapter of their continued fight for promotion.