New ground for both sides

For the first time ever, Hertha face SV Sandhausen on Friday evening, kicking off matchday 13.

Hertha BSC face an unknown quantity on matchday 13 on Friday evening. The capital city side make the long trip south to the Baden-Württemberg region, to take on newly-promoted SV Sandhausen for the first time ever. With a 640 kilometre one way journey, it is one of the longest trips for Hertha and their fans in Bundesliga 2. Berlin boss Jos Luhukay wants victory at the Hardtwald Stadion to keep Hertha on track for his average two points per game target. The Dutchman: "Should we win in Sandhausen we will be back on track for our two points per game target. I think that such a points tally will be enough to win promotion."

Luhukay is without several players on Friday, including Fabian Holland: "Fabian attended training on Thursday morning but was unable to participate with the rest of the team. He has a thigh strain and is ruled out of the game at Sandhausen. Our team physician has ordered him to rest for the rest of the week." Holland's place in the starting line-up will go to Felix Bastians, who returns following a knee injury sustained during the 0-0 home draw with FC Ingolstadt. Luhukay told the media at the pre-match press conference: "I make no secret of the fact that Bastians will replace Holland on Friday. I have had him train in the position all week. He has been back in full training for a fortnight. He is the logical replacement."

Injury list shortening

Bastians is not the only one happy to be back. Long term-injured duo Daniel Beichler and Shervin R. Fardi will gather much-needed match practise in Hertha reserve side's away game at Zwickau. For Fardi it is his first game since he shattered cruciate knee ligaments in April 2012. Out of the Sandhuasen trip are strikers Elias Kachunga and Pierre-Michel Lasogga, as well as defenders Maik Franz and Christoph Janker. Despite those omissions Luhukay is not unduly worried ahead of the trip to Sandhausen. The coach: "In previous games we have had more shots on goal than our opponents. We have to become more efficient in front of goal and score more goals. I expect - with all due respect to our opponent - that the game will be 70 to 80% one way traffic towards their goal. We have to outplay them and find the right solution."

One Hertha player who has been finding those kind of solutions this season is of course Ronny, who is enjoying an upward form curve this term. His record of four goals and four assists so far speaks for itself. This season the Brazilian has been the link between midfield and the strikers. Ronny himself doesn't care where he plays. He explained: "The coach always decides where he wants me to play. I like my attacking role, but in the end it is up to our coach and rightly so."

Relegation worries for the hosts

For SV Sandhausen, their first season in division two is about one thing - survival. To achieve that goal the team under coach Gerd Dais needs every point they can get as he pointed out by saying. "After landing in the drop zone it doesn't really matter who we play. We badly need points, preferrably against Hertha on Friday eveing."

Hertha BSC on the other hand are enjoying a ten-game unbeaten run. The matchday 12 draw against Ingolstadt saw promotion rivals Kaiserslautern take second spot in the table off them. Motivation enough then to try to win in Sandhausen. Captain Peter Niemeyer returns to the team from suspension. He said before the trip to Sandhausen: "We have to find our way into the game by playing with determination and passion. If we can create pressure and take our scoring chances we will win there. Only a win will do for us!

Possible line-ups

SV Sandhausen: Langer - Schauerte, Pischorn, Morena, Achenbach - Glibo - Klotz, Danneberg, Tüting, A. Riemann - Löning

Hertha BSC: Kraft - Bastians, Lustenberger, Brooks, Pekarik - Ndjeng, Kluge, Niemeyer, Ronny, Schulz - Ramos