#BSCTSG Preview: “Hertha can be cracked”
JULIAN NAGELSMANN ON...
...the opponent:
Hertha are strongest at home, evidenced by their game against Dortmund, for example. They’re very aggressive. If we want to take something back with us, then we’ll have to match their level of commitment. Of course, we have a few football tactics to hand as well. Looking at their away games, you can see that they can be cracked. That’s what we want to do in Berlin.
... the players:
Andrej Kramaric will only return on Thursday, but he is definitely fit. Everyone else who has already returned looks in good shape, and they’ve partially returned to training with the team again. Those players who picked up knocks recently are all back to team-training too. Although not everyone is quite at 100%, it helps to have them as options for Friday evening. All in all, we have almost a full squad to play with.
... the international break:
We’ve had minimal time to prepare for the match due to the international break, but Hertha BSC have also had the same problem. The players will only have one day to study the opponent, not the usual two. I always see the break as a chance to recuperate both mentally and physically, including for the players who were with their national sides, as they don’t train as hard there as they do here. The players can switch off from the stress of the Bundesliga and go into the closing stages of the season refreshed and re-energised.
...the pressure:
Many of the players went through a lot last season, including a rough patch, and a strong finish to the season. As a result, I’m under the impression that the individuals within the team are level-headed. We want to continue preparing well and trying to win each and every game. I don’t get the feeling that the pressure on the team is sky high, despite our position in the table. We’ve had a great season so far, and we want to show that we can finish it on a high note as well.
Previous matchups:
The two teams have only faced each other in the Bundesliga, for a total of 13 meetings, of which TSG has won six. Two ended in draws, whilst Hertha collected all the points on five occasions. TSG’s last away win against Hertha was a good two years ago, when the 5-0 scoreline became Hoffenheim’s largest win in their Bundesliga history in December 2014. Sebastian Rudy was with the team then, and scored the final goal. The two most recent games were also won by TSG, including the 1-0 reverse fixture home victory, in which Niklas Süle scored the lone goal with a header.
Opponents’ form:
TSG are a force to be reckoned with in their own stadium, but Berlin are even stronger. In fact, they are the Bundesliga’s strongest home side, thanks to manager Pal Dardai’s men winning ten games, drawing one and losing one of their last twelve matches in the Olympiastadion. Berlin perform fantastically in front of their own crowd, but do not fare as well when on the road. Hertha have lost their last six away games, however, Hertha captain and former TSG player Vedad Ibisevic is having a second great season, enough to earn him a starting spot as of late.
Key battle:
Sandro Wagner versus Vedad Ibisevic: two goalscorers, two leaders, two emotional players. Two players who can make a difference, two players who can decide a game by themselves. Both of them have had a strong season, both of them currently have 11 Bundesliga goals to their name. Both tear into their own teammates. ‘Hoffe’ against Hertha is certainly not just Wagner vs. Ibisevic, but then again...