Teams | November 30, 2012 at 03:43 PM
Tradition-steeped game in Berlin
Tradition-steeped game in Berlin
Hertha and Köln have played legendary matches over the years.
Hertha entertain Köln at the Olympic stadium on Matchday 16 on Thursday night (29.11.12, 20.15 CET.) It is one of the more traditional fixtures in German football. The teams have met 53 times in the past, and Hertha's home record against them gives them cause for hope: Of 27 home games, Hertha won 13. There have been seven draws and seven defeats.
To pick a special game from all those encounters is tough. But on 26.09.1969 Köln visited the Olympic stadium in Berlin and played in front of a sell out crowd of 88,075 (!). It was the higehst attendance ever recorded at the Olympic stadium. Hertha won that game 1-0, thanks to a 43rd minute header by Hans Gayer. Another unforgettable clash was the DFB Cup final of 1977, which Köln went on to win 1-0 in a replay.
Fresh faces in squad
Hertha coach Jos Luhukay has been foreced to change the team which cruised to a 4-0 win at Aue last weekend. Winger Nico Schulz will miss the visit of Köln to the capital city. The 19 year old injured an ankle in Aue and is expected to be out for 3 weeks. Luhukay would not be drawn as to whom will replace Schulz on Thursday night. Also ruled out is Peter Pekarik, who sustained a serios shoulder injury which required surgery. The Slovakian defender said this week: "I want to be fit in time for the start of the second half of the season. That is my goal! Until then I will have my fingers crossed for the lads." Also out are the injured group of Pierre-Michel Lasogga, Christoph Janker, Shervin R. Fardi, Änis Ben-Hatira, Maik Franz and Daniel Beichler. Levan Kobiashvili and Alfredo Morales are suspended.
Robert Andrich (18) on the other hand has been called up to the first team squad for the first time. The Potsdam-born lad joined Hertha in 2003 and has eight reserve games for the reserves under his belt. The defensive midfielder is also eligible to play for Hertha's under-19s. He has been capped six times by Germany at under-19 level. The youngster will wear the number 23 for the visit of Köln. He said modestly this week: "Short term I would like to finish with the reserves in the top five. Long term of course i would like to become a pro."
Luhukay warns about Köln
For Jos Luhukay the meeting with Köln is a trip down memory lane. The Dutchman was an assistant there from 2002 until 2005. He warned: "Köln made a poor start to their season, but have recently shown a positive trend. I see them as a side with a lot of quality. Maybe they will soon be knocking on the door of the promotion places. But my team has enough confidence to compensate our losses through injury, as they impressively showed in Aue. We want to cement our position in the table and win the game."
Fabian Lustenberger, who will revert to the back four following Peer Kluge's return to the team agrees with his boss. The Swiss dynamo: "I think they have too few points for a side of their quality. For me, Köln are one of the top three to four sides in the league. But we have often shown that we can win such games, and that must be our sole aim at home."
Possible line-ups:
Hertha BSC: Kraft - Holland, Lustenberger, Brooks, Ndjeng - Sahar, Kluge, Niemeyer, Ronny, Allagui - Ramos
Köln: Horn - Brecko, Maroh, McKenna, Hector - Lehmann, Matuschyk - Chihi, Jajalo, Clemens - Ujah
To pick a special game from all those encounters is tough. But on 26.09.1969 Köln visited the Olympic stadium in Berlin and played in front of a sell out crowd of 88,075 (!). It was the higehst attendance ever recorded at the Olympic stadium. Hertha won that game 1-0, thanks to a 43rd minute header by Hans Gayer. Another unforgettable clash was the DFB Cup final of 1977, which Köln went on to win 1-0 in a replay.
Fresh faces in squad
Hertha coach Jos Luhukay has been foreced to change the team which cruised to a 4-0 win at Aue last weekend. Winger Nico Schulz will miss the visit of Köln to the capital city. The 19 year old injured an ankle in Aue and is expected to be out for 3 weeks. Luhukay would not be drawn as to whom will replace Schulz on Thursday night. Also ruled out is Peter Pekarik, who sustained a serios shoulder injury which required surgery. The Slovakian defender said this week: "I want to be fit in time for the start of the second half of the season. That is my goal! Until then I will have my fingers crossed for the lads." Also out are the injured group of Pierre-Michel Lasogga, Christoph Janker, Shervin R. Fardi, Änis Ben-Hatira, Maik Franz and Daniel Beichler. Levan Kobiashvili and Alfredo Morales are suspended.
Robert Andrich (18) on the other hand has been called up to the first team squad for the first time. The Potsdam-born lad joined Hertha in 2003 and has eight reserve games for the reserves under his belt. The defensive midfielder is also eligible to play for Hertha's under-19s. He has been capped six times by Germany at under-19 level. The youngster will wear the number 23 for the visit of Köln. He said modestly this week: "Short term I would like to finish with the reserves in the top five. Long term of course i would like to become a pro."
Luhukay warns about Köln
For Jos Luhukay the meeting with Köln is a trip down memory lane. The Dutchman was an assistant there from 2002 until 2005. He warned: "Köln made a poor start to their season, but have recently shown a positive trend. I see them as a side with a lot of quality. Maybe they will soon be knocking on the door of the promotion places. But my team has enough confidence to compensate our losses through injury, as they impressively showed in Aue. We want to cement our position in the table and win the game."
Fabian Lustenberger, who will revert to the back four following Peer Kluge's return to the team agrees with his boss. The Swiss dynamo: "I think they have too few points for a side of their quality. For me, Köln are one of the top three to four sides in the league. But we have often shown that we can win such games, and that must be our sole aim at home."
Possible line-ups:
Hertha BSC: Kraft - Holland, Lustenberger, Brooks, Ndjeng - Sahar, Kluge, Niemeyer, Ronny, Allagui - Ramos
Köln: Horn - Brecko, Maroh, McKenna, Hector - Lehmann, Matuschyk - Chihi, Jajalo, Clemens - Ujah