Teams | August 10, 2013 at 03:54 PM
Bundesliga at last!
Bundesliga at last!
On Saturday (10.08.13) Hertha BSC begin the new Bundesliga season at home to Eintracht Frankfurt.
Berlin - On Saturday (10.08.13, 15.30 CET), the long wait which felt like an eternity finally comes to an end. After 462 endless days away, Hertha BSC open their 2013/14 campaign in the top flight. Their opening Bundesliga game at the Olympic stadium in Berlin will be a tough one, against Europa League qualifiers Eintracht Frankfurt. After ending last season unbeaten at home, coach Jos Luhukay's men are keen to extend that fine record on Saturday.
"We want to win our home games and will perform accordingly", said Peer Kluge ahead of matchday 1. The 32 year old is however well aware of Frankfurt's strengths. He continued: "Frankfurt are a skilful side who played some good football last season. They get forward quickly and know where there men will run to latch onto passes." Eintracht under their much-travelled coach Armin Veh raised a few eyebrows in the Bundesliga last season by qualifying for the Europa League by finishing in an excellent sixth place. Both sides won their DFB Cup round one matches last weekend. Hertha needed extra time to beat minnows VfR Neumünster 3-2, while Frankfurt beat FV Illertissen 2-0.
Veh: "I am expecting euphoric Hertha players and fans"
Luhukay spoke of his side's cup win at the pre-match press conference in Berlin. The Berlin boss: "The cup game has absolutely nothing to do with our game against Frankfurt." Apart from young striker Pierre-Michel Lasogga (ankle), the Dutchman has a fully fit squad to pick his side from. Luhukay told the media that he has his starting eleven in his head but refused to reveal it. He then pointed out the importance of having strength in depth, as he told the press: "You cannot achieve success using only eleven players. We want our players on the bench or indeed in the stands to be valuable to us." He added that everyone pulled in the same direction last season.
Eintracht coach Veh would not be drawn on season goals for his team. He explained: "We want to play well and have nothing to do with any relegation battles." Of course Frankfurt would like to qualify for Europe again but Veh views that as unrealistic. Veh: "If everything goes well we could finish eighth, if not sixteenth. Now it is all about establishing ourselves in the Bundesliga." He added: "I expect euphoric Hertha players and fans following their promotion as Bundesliga 2 champions last season." Veh also has a fully fit squad to pick his team from, with the exception of injured duo Sonny Kittel and Marc Stendera.
"Play to or over our limit"
Luhukay sees Frankfurt as a strong side with a stable defence and the ability to switch from defence to attack in the blink of an eye. The Hertha coach: "On Saturday we will have to play to our limit or even beyond it." The team will have to quickly get used to top flight football again and win their home games in order to establish themselves in the Bundesliga. Luhukay is delighted at how the lads are looking forward to playing Bundesliga football again: "But nobody is nervous", he revealed. Most of Hertha's players have top flight experience. Luhukay describes the Bundesliga as :"The strongest league in Europe." The Hertha supremo hopes that this season's opponents will play more open football which will allow Hertha more room to operate in.
Hertha manager Michael Preetz knows all about euphoric first days of new seasons. The former Hertha striker: "The whole town can't wait for the first game." The club has sold around 50.000 tickets for the visit of Frankfurt to the capital city. Around 6,000 of those were sold to Eintracht, so a fantastic atmosphere is a foregone conclusion.
Bring it on!
Possible line-ups:
Hertha BSC: Kraft - Ndjeng, Langkamp, Brooks, van den Bergh - Lustenberger, Kluge - Allagui, Baumjohann, Ben-Hatira - Ramos
Eintracht Frankfurt: Trapp - Jung, Zambrano, Russ, Oczipka - Schwegler - Aigner, Rode - Meier - Rosenthal, Joselu
"We want to win our home games and will perform accordingly", said Peer Kluge ahead of matchday 1. The 32 year old is however well aware of Frankfurt's strengths. He continued: "Frankfurt are a skilful side who played some good football last season. They get forward quickly and know where there men will run to latch onto passes." Eintracht under their much-travelled coach Armin Veh raised a few eyebrows in the Bundesliga last season by qualifying for the Europa League by finishing in an excellent sixth place. Both sides won their DFB Cup round one matches last weekend. Hertha needed extra time to beat minnows VfR Neumünster 3-2, while Frankfurt beat FV Illertissen 2-0.
Veh: "I am expecting euphoric Hertha players and fans"
Luhukay spoke of his side's cup win at the pre-match press conference in Berlin. The Berlin boss: "The cup game has absolutely nothing to do with our game against Frankfurt." Apart from young striker Pierre-Michel Lasogga (ankle), the Dutchman has a fully fit squad to pick his side from. Luhukay told the media that he has his starting eleven in his head but refused to reveal it. He then pointed out the importance of having strength in depth, as he told the press: "You cannot achieve success using only eleven players. We want our players on the bench or indeed in the stands to be valuable to us." He added that everyone pulled in the same direction last season.
Eintracht coach Veh would not be drawn on season goals for his team. He explained: "We want to play well and have nothing to do with any relegation battles." Of course Frankfurt would like to qualify for Europe again but Veh views that as unrealistic. Veh: "If everything goes well we could finish eighth, if not sixteenth. Now it is all about establishing ourselves in the Bundesliga." He added: "I expect euphoric Hertha players and fans following their promotion as Bundesliga 2 champions last season." Veh also has a fully fit squad to pick his team from, with the exception of injured duo Sonny Kittel and Marc Stendera.
"Play to or over our limit"
Luhukay sees Frankfurt as a strong side with a stable defence and the ability to switch from defence to attack in the blink of an eye. The Hertha coach: "On Saturday we will have to play to our limit or even beyond it." The team will have to quickly get used to top flight football again and win their home games in order to establish themselves in the Bundesliga. Luhukay is delighted at how the lads are looking forward to playing Bundesliga football again: "But nobody is nervous", he revealed. Most of Hertha's players have top flight experience. Luhukay describes the Bundesliga as :"The strongest league in Europe." The Hertha supremo hopes that this season's opponents will play more open football which will allow Hertha more room to operate in.
Hertha manager Michael Preetz knows all about euphoric first days of new seasons. The former Hertha striker: "The whole town can't wait for the first game." The club has sold around 50.000 tickets for the visit of Frankfurt to the capital city. Around 6,000 of those were sold to Eintracht, so a fantastic atmosphere is a foregone conclusion.
Bring it on!
Possible line-ups:
Hertha BSC: Kraft - Ndjeng, Langkamp, Brooks, van den Bergh - Lustenberger, Kluge - Allagui, Baumjohann, Ben-Hatira - Ramos
Eintracht Frankfurt: Trapp - Jung, Zambrano, Russ, Oczipka - Schwegler - Aigner, Rode - Meier - Rosenthal, Joselu