Teams | November 6, 2012 at 03:21 PM
Jet another unknown quantity for Hertha
Jet another unknown quantity for Hertha
On Wednesday evening (26.09.12), Hertha face yet another team for the first time ever. This time it is Dynamo Dresden on matchday 7 of Bundesliga 2.
In SSV Jahn Regensburg and VfR Aalen, Hertha have already played and beaten two sides they played for the first time in their long history. On Wednesday (25.09.12, 17.30 CET) the capital city side will be looking to make it three wins in a row against never-before-faced opposition, as they lock horns with Dynamo Dresden. Hertha are enjoying a four-game unbeaten run, and want to make the most of home advantage under the floodlights of their tradition-steeped stadium. A win for the capital city kickers will keep them in touch with the promotion places in the table.
Hertha coach Jos Luhukay is without several players, and not only the long-term injured Pierre-Michel Lasogga, Shervin R. Fardi, Christoph Janker, Daniel Beichler, Marvin Knoll and Georgian defender Levan Kobiashvilli - suspended until the end of the first half of the season. Even more bitter is that tough guy defender Maik Franz will miss the rest of the first half of the season after badly injuring his shoulder away to Kaiserslautern last time out.
Once a battler...
Maik Franz was surprised at the extent of his injury. He said: "It was a normal tackle in the second minute. I sprinted towards the ball and after being fouled I landed on my shoulder. It felt like some kind of blockage. The pain worsened on Sunday, so I visited a shoulder specialist who had treated me for a similar injury in 2003. It was decided that I require surgery. I hope to begin light training in around four or five weeks."
The gritty defender won't let this latest setback get him down. He explained: "There are two sides to it - the sporting and the characteristic. Sportingly speaking it is a disaster. When you can't play for so long it is very pleasing when you are able to again. I had a good record after coming back from knee surgery of three wins in four games. You get back into the swing of it though. Now I have to start all over again. On the other hand there are people much worse off than myself. I am and have always been a fighter. Once a fighter always a fighter. I know that I can fight my way back, I have no worries on that front."
"Dresden can beat anyone"
Although Dresden lost 0-1 at home to FC Ingolstadt last time out, Luhukay is not taking them lightly: "Dynamo Dresden have a tight team with a lot of heart. On Wednesday they will try to make up for their recent defeat. Dynamo have a team capable of beating any side in division two", knows the Hertha chief.
The visitors will as always be well-supported on Wednesday night. They sold 9,500 tickets, but it expected that in all around 15,000 (!) Dresden fans will attend the game. That could mean an attendance in the region of 40,000.
Possible line-ups:
Hertha BSC: Kraft - Holland, Lustenberger, Hubnik, Pekarik - Ndjeng, Niemeyer, Ronny, Ramos - Allagui, Wagner
Dynamo Dresden: Kirsten - Gueye, Bregerie, Savic, Subasic - Jungwirth, Losilla - Ouali, Koch, Trojan - Poté
Hertha coach Jos Luhukay is without several players, and not only the long-term injured Pierre-Michel Lasogga, Shervin R. Fardi, Christoph Janker, Daniel Beichler, Marvin Knoll and Georgian defender Levan Kobiashvilli - suspended until the end of the first half of the season. Even more bitter is that tough guy defender Maik Franz will miss the rest of the first half of the season after badly injuring his shoulder away to Kaiserslautern last time out.
Once a battler...
Maik Franz was surprised at the extent of his injury. He said: "It was a normal tackle in the second minute. I sprinted towards the ball and after being fouled I landed on my shoulder. It felt like some kind of blockage. The pain worsened on Sunday, so I visited a shoulder specialist who had treated me for a similar injury in 2003. It was decided that I require surgery. I hope to begin light training in around four or five weeks."
The gritty defender won't let this latest setback get him down. He explained: "There are two sides to it - the sporting and the characteristic. Sportingly speaking it is a disaster. When you can't play for so long it is very pleasing when you are able to again. I had a good record after coming back from knee surgery of three wins in four games. You get back into the swing of it though. Now I have to start all over again. On the other hand there are people much worse off than myself. I am and have always been a fighter. Once a fighter always a fighter. I know that I can fight my way back, I have no worries on that front."
"Dresden can beat anyone"
Although Dresden lost 0-1 at home to FC Ingolstadt last time out, Luhukay is not taking them lightly: "Dynamo Dresden have a tight team with a lot of heart. On Wednesday they will try to make up for their recent defeat. Dynamo have a team capable of beating any side in division two", knows the Hertha chief.
The visitors will as always be well-supported on Wednesday night. They sold 9,500 tickets, but it expected that in all around 15,000 (!) Dresden fans will attend the game. That could mean an attendance in the region of 40,000.
Possible line-ups:
Hertha BSC: Kraft - Holland, Lustenberger, Hubnik, Pekarik - Ndjeng, Niemeyer, Ronny, Ramos - Allagui, Wagner
Dynamo Dresden: Kirsten - Gueye, Bregerie, Savic, Subasic - Jungwirth, Losilla - Ouali, Koch, Trojan - Poté