In 2012–13 the club played in the Bundesliga, the top tier of German football.

The club finished seventh in the Bundesliga and also took part in the 2012–13 edition of the DFB-Pokal, the German Cup, where it was knocked out in the first round by third division side Karlsruher SC.

[1] At the end of the summer transfer deadline, former HSV player Rafael van der Vaart was signed.

He was given the captain wristband in the second half of the season due to a weak performance of the team.

EU = if holds or not a European Union passport; Country: when 2 flags, 1st flag = country that plays for internationally, 2nd flag = country of birth; N = number on jersey; P = Position (for position name, pause mouse pointer on abbreviation); Name = Name on jersey (for more extensive name, pause mouse pointer on name); Age = age on the day of the signing; Moving from = only indicate the club the player was playing before start playing for this club in this season, for the type of the moving see Status column; Moving to = only indicates the club the player is going to play next, for the type of the moving see Status column; Ends = when the player's current contract ends; n/a = Not applicable.