Hamburger SV have clinched promotion back to the Bundesliga after seven years in the second tier of German football, having routed Ulm 6-1 on Saturday.

Until 2018, HSV were the only team to have played in every Bundesliga season since the competition's 1963 inception, but they were relegated that year under Christian Titz.

The Hamburg giants have since endured several heartbreaking promotion near-misses, finishing fourth in the 2. Bundesliga on four occasions and third twice, in 2021-22 and 2022-23. They lost the promotion-relegation play-off on both occasions, to Hertha Berlin in 2022 and Stuttgart in 2023.

HSV even saw their cross-city rivals St. Pauli beat them to the top tier last season, but they will now compete in the Bundesliga in 2024-25 after sealing automatic promotion.

Merlin Polzin's side thrashed Ulm at the Volksparkstadion, sealing their visitors' relegation and ensuring the leaders could no longer be caught by third-placed Elversberg or fourth-placed Paderborn.

HSV fell behind to Tom Gaal's seventh-minute opener, only for Ludovit Reis to level three minutes later. 

Ransford-Yeboah Konigsdorffer put HSV ahead in the 42nd minute and would later get a second, with Davie Selke and Daniel Elfadli also on target, while Ulm's Philipp Strompf scored an own goal.

A win over Greuther Furth on the final matchday next week will now ensure HSV claim the title.

Fellow fallen giants Koln are currently in the drivers' seat to join HSV in the top flight, as they hold a three-point advantage over Elversberg and Paderborn with one game remaining, though they do have the worst goal difference of the three sides.