Floodlit derby in Cottbus

On Monday evening (03.12.12), Hertha face Energie Cottbus at the Stadion der Freundschaft in their final game of the year.

Only three days after drawing 1-1 at home with 1.FC Köln, Hertha make the short trip east to the Lausitz region, where they play an eagerly-anticipated Berlin-Brandenburg derby clash against old rivals Energie Cottbus. The game at the tradition-steeped Stadion der Freundschaft (stadium of friendship) sees second placed Hertha lock horns with Energie, who are currently only two places below them in the Bundesliga 2 table. Although the home side are full of well-meant ambition, a win there on Monday night would increase the points gap between the capital city side and fourth place to eight: "That would give us even more confidence", knows Hertha's coach Jos Luhukay.
 
Brazilian midfield dynamo Ronny, is receiving treatment to the knee he injured against Köln. Luhukay hopes his top scorer (7 goals) will respond well to the treatment he is getting twice a day and become fit in time for the Monday match. The Dutch-born coach: "Ronny took a knock to his knee against Köln. He gritted his teeth and carried on and is being treated twice a day. We hope that our medical staff manage to get him fit in time because Ronny is a crucial to our game." Captain Peter Niemeyer ended the Köln game wearing a turban, but is expected to start in Cottbus. Luhukay told the media at the pre-match press conference: "Peter suffered a slight head injury, but I don't see him missing the Cottbus match." The Berliners are without the injured group of Peter Pekarik, Maik Franz, Christoph Janker, Shervin R. Fardi, Daniel Beichler, Nico Schulz and Pierre-Michel Lasogga. Alfredo Morales and Levan Kobiashvili are still suspended.
 
Red hot derby
 
Only 137 kilometres lie between Berlin and Cottbus - a 90  minute journey by car. Hertha fans are of course relishing the derby which if history is anything to go by, could be a pretty passionate affair: "Energie are enjoying a great season. They are very strong at home. It will be a very tough game for us, but we have often shown that we can take the pressure. Derby games against Cottbus and always fierce", explained Hertha manager Michael Preetz this week.
 
Jos Luhukay agrees with Hertha's all time goal scorer. He said: "Energie are a tight unit who play good football. I think that they will want to play especially well at home in front of their voiciferous fans. They seem to play out of their skins at their own stadium. They will be highly-motivated because they want to close the gap on the places above them in the table. In Sanogo, Cottbus signed a quality striker who is very good in the air. We will have to keep an eye on him."
 
Three unbeaten games

Hertha BSC and Cottbus have faced each other a total of 14 times. Energie have won seven of those games. There have been two draws and five Hertha victories. Statistic fans need not worry though: Hertha are unbeaten in their last three meetings with the Lausitz-based outfit. Hertha beat them 1-0 last time the teams met (24.09.2010) at the Stadion der Freundschaft.
 
"It will be a passionate night for our fans. Second plays fourth. We want all three points and increase our points cushion over Cottbus", announced  Sami Allagui ahead of the Berlin-Brandenburg derby. His Cottbus counterpart Boubacar Sanogo does not disagree. He said this week: "I reckon it will be a great game between two attack-minded teams. The whole nation will watch this derby and to play in a televised one on a Monday night is a thrill for any player."

Possible line-ups:
Energie Cottbus: Kirschbaum - Rippert, Börner, Möhrle, Bitroff - Brinkmann, Banovic - Adlung, Sörensen, Stiepermann - Sanogo
Hertha BSC: Kraft - Holland, Lustenberger, Brooks, Ndjeng - Sahar, Kluge, Niemeyer, Ronny, Allagui - Ramos