Teams | May 3, 2013 at 02:28 AM
Falco Götz returns to Berlin
Falco Götz returns to Berlin
On Friday night (03.05.13), Hertha BSC are keen to extend their impressive unbeaten home record against Erzgebirge Aue.
Berlin - Hertha BSC are keen to maintain their impressive unbeaten home record on Friday night (03.05.13), as they welcome Erzgebirge Aue to the Olympic stadium in Berlin on Bundesliga 2 matchday 32. Hertha’s home record this season is so clean, that they could be featured in an advert for washing powder. The capital city side have played fifteen home games and won eleven of them. The other four were draws. With a home record of 37 points and a goal difference of 27:9, coach Jos Luhukay's men have the best record in the division. On Friday they hope to extend that record as relegation-threatened FC Erzgebirge Aue visit the capital city for a matchday 32 clash.
"We want to maintain our record of being the only unbeaten home side in the division", said Luhukay this week, looking ahead to Hertha's penultimate home game of the season: "It is our duty and ambition to win our home games the way we have all season", knows curly haired Swiss battler Fabian Lustenberger, who played in front of the back four in Hertha's last two games as opposed to his usual role at the heart of defence. Luhukay would not be drawn on where Lustenberger will play. The player said this week: "I want nothing more and nothing less than a win", regardless of where he plays.
Possible celebration from the sofa
After drawing 1-1 with Ingolstadt on matchday 29, Hertha had to wait a further week to secure promotion back to the Bundesliga at the first attempt, after beating SV Sandhausen 1-0 at home. Now their ambition to go up as the division champions could become reality as the players and coaching staff follow second placed and also promoted Eintracht Braunschweig who take on Energie Cottbus on Monday night in a televised game. Should Eintracht "only " draw that game and Hertha beat Aue on Friday night, Hertha will go up as champions with two games to go in the current season.
In order to reach that goal, Hertha must beat their Sachsen-based visitors on Friday night. Maik Franz and Marcel Ndjeng miss out through suspension, while skipper Peter Niemeyer is not yet match fit following the concussion he sustained in the home win over Braunschweig. Peer Kluge and Levan Kobiashvili are omitted for "tactical" reasons. On the good news side right back Peter Pekarik is in contention again. Luhukay: "He is fit and ready to go." Felix Bastians, Marvin Knoll, Shervin Radjabali-Fardi and Philip Sprint have not made the squad. The visitors who hail from the Lößnitztal region are without Tobias Nickenig (suspended) as well as the long term injured duo of Nils Miatke and Enrico Kern. There are also question marks hanging over the participation of Flamur Kastrati, Thomas Paulus, former Hertha midfielder Oliver Schröder and Fabian Müller.
Falko Götz back in Berlin
For Falko Götz who was introduced to the media in Aue on Monday as their new coach, Friday night will be something of a trip down memory lane. Götz played for Hertha, was a youth coordinator and of course head coach. His side are only three points ahead of the drop zone, with Dynamo Dresden currently occupying the relegation play off spot. He has been given the job of keeping Aue up. Götz: "We are about to play the most dominant and best team in the division. It will be crucial for us to show fighting spirit, aggression and make sure we can Hurt Hertha on the break by taking our chances." Sentimentality is the furthest thing from the mind of the new Aue boss who revealed this week: "We are not travelling to Berlin just to be sparring partners."
In the “ring” on Friday night Erzgebirge Aue face a real division 2 heavyweight, who have not only a superb home record. In the three games between the two sides to date, Hertha won all of them with a goal tally of 8:1. Tough for Aue then to make an impression on that record.
Possible line-ups:
Hertha BSC: Kraft – Pekarik, Janker, Brooks, Holland – Morales, Lustenberger – Allagui, Ronny, Ben-Hatira – Ramos
Erzgebirge Aue: Männel – Schlitte, Paulus, Hensel, Klingbeil – Schröder, Pezzoni – Fa. Müller, M. Fink, Hochscheidt – Sylvestr
"We want to maintain our record of being the only unbeaten home side in the division", said Luhukay this week, looking ahead to Hertha's penultimate home game of the season: "It is our duty and ambition to win our home games the way we have all season", knows curly haired Swiss battler Fabian Lustenberger, who played in front of the back four in Hertha's last two games as opposed to his usual role at the heart of defence. Luhukay would not be drawn on where Lustenberger will play. The player said this week: "I want nothing more and nothing less than a win", regardless of where he plays.
Possible celebration from the sofa
After drawing 1-1 with Ingolstadt on matchday 29, Hertha had to wait a further week to secure promotion back to the Bundesliga at the first attempt, after beating SV Sandhausen 1-0 at home. Now their ambition to go up as the division champions could become reality as the players and coaching staff follow second placed and also promoted Eintracht Braunschweig who take on Energie Cottbus on Monday night in a televised game. Should Eintracht "only " draw that game and Hertha beat Aue on Friday night, Hertha will go up as champions with two games to go in the current season.
In order to reach that goal, Hertha must beat their Sachsen-based visitors on Friday night. Maik Franz and Marcel Ndjeng miss out through suspension, while skipper Peter Niemeyer is not yet match fit following the concussion he sustained in the home win over Braunschweig. Peer Kluge and Levan Kobiashvili are omitted for "tactical" reasons. On the good news side right back Peter Pekarik is in contention again. Luhukay: "He is fit and ready to go." Felix Bastians, Marvin Knoll, Shervin Radjabali-Fardi and Philip Sprint have not made the squad. The visitors who hail from the Lößnitztal region are without Tobias Nickenig (suspended) as well as the long term injured duo of Nils Miatke and Enrico Kern. There are also question marks hanging over the participation of Flamur Kastrati, Thomas Paulus, former Hertha midfielder Oliver Schröder and Fabian Müller.
Falko Götz back in Berlin
For Falko Götz who was introduced to the media in Aue on Monday as their new coach, Friday night will be something of a trip down memory lane. Götz played for Hertha, was a youth coordinator and of course head coach. His side are only three points ahead of the drop zone, with Dynamo Dresden currently occupying the relegation play off spot. He has been given the job of keeping Aue up. Götz: "We are about to play the most dominant and best team in the division. It will be crucial for us to show fighting spirit, aggression and make sure we can Hurt Hertha on the break by taking our chances." Sentimentality is the furthest thing from the mind of the new Aue boss who revealed this week: "We are not travelling to Berlin just to be sparring partners."
In the “ring” on Friday night Erzgebirge Aue face a real division 2 heavyweight, who have not only a superb home record. In the three games between the two sides to date, Hertha won all of them with a goal tally of 8:1. Tough for Aue then to make an impression on that record.
Possible line-ups:
Hertha BSC: Kraft – Pekarik, Janker, Brooks, Holland – Morales, Lustenberger – Allagui, Ronny, Ben-Hatira – Ramos
Erzgebirge Aue: Männel – Schlitte, Paulus, Hensel, Klingbeil – Schröder, Pezzoni – Fa. Müller, M. Fink, Hochscheidt – Sylvestr