Hannover 96 have not got the response they hoped for under Sandro Wagner, with the club taking only five points from his first five league matches in charge. In a period that was meant to bring fresh energy and a comeback push, the early evidence suggests the expected effect has not arrived.
That is the clearest reading of Hannover's form across the 7th to the 12th matchday in the 2026/27 season. After that five-match spell, they sat 13th in the form table, with several rivals ahead of them and the gap to the stronger sides still obvious.
The expected lift has not come
Wagner's appointment was supposed to give Hannover a new direction. Instead, the numbers point to a team still searching for rhythm and consistency. Five points from five matches is not disastrous in isolation, but it is not the kind of return that changes the mood around a side looking to climb.
The broader picture is even less encouraging. Hannover's goal difference in that spell stood at 5:9, which underlines the problem. They are not scoring enough to compensate for what they are giving away at the other end, and that balance remains a major concern.
Where Hannover stand in the form table
On the evidence of the same stretch, Hannover were behind the teams that have been setting the pace. Hertha BSC, Arminia Bielefeld, 1. FC Magdeburg and 1. FC Kaiserslautern were all outperforming them during those matchdays, leaving Hannover in the lower half of the recent form table rather than the pack at the top.
That matters because form-table comparisons are often where the real momentum story is found. A side can still be well placed in the overall standings, but if the recent results are not improving, the pressure quickly builds on the coach and the players. In Hannover's case, the hoped-for surge has not yet materialised.
What comes next for Sandro Wagner?
The challenge now is obvious: Wagner needs a sharper response, and he needs it quickly. Five points from five games leaves little room for comfort, especially when the numbers show that other clubs are moving better in the same phase of the season.
For Hannover, the next stretch will decide whether this is just a slow start or the sign of a deeper problem. Right now, the evidence says the club are still waiting for the breakthrough they expected when Sandro Wagner arrived.
