Second home game a classic

Berlin - Two games, four points and eight goals scored. Hertha's return to the Bundesliga has certainly gone to plan .- or even better than planned. On Saturday (24.08.13, 18.30 CET), the capital city side lock horns with HSV, who are celebrating being the only side to be in the Bundesliga for the full 50 years since the league was founded. The Bundesliga matchday 3 encounter will see a massive 10,000 travelling away fans attend the game at the tradition-steeped Olympic stadium in the nation's capital.

At the pre-match press conference on Thursday (22.08.13), Hertha boss Jos Luhukay confirmed the omissions of  Pierre-Michel Lasogga, Johannes van den Bergh, Marcel Ndjeng and Hany Mukhtar for the visit of HSV. The Dutchman is hoping that his team can carry on the good home form displayed in the 6-1 hammering of Eintracht Frankfurt on matchday 1. Luhukay: „We will try to play like that ggain.“ On Saturday a crowd in excess of 60,000 is expected to attend the game. Until Thursday 55,000 tickets had already changed hands. After taking a 1-5 pasting by Hoffenheim at home last time out, Luhukay expects his HSV counterpart Thorsten Fink to change his side for the game in Berlin. The Hertha coach: „What counts for me is not who HSV decide to play but far more that we can force our game on them. We will try to create chances, leave them no time on the ball and quickly switch from defence to attack.“

Luhukay: "We will try everything to win on Saturday"

Luhukay once again underlined the importance of winning home games with regard to retaining top flight status. He told the press conference on Thursday: “We made a good start against Frankfurt, but we are keen for that not to be a one off thing in our own stadium. We will be trying for a second victory with the team and our fans working together. If we can do that we will be on the right track towards beating HSV, which has to be our goal.“ When asked about his side's strengths up front Luhukay explained: „We scored the most goals in Bundesliga 2 last season. We have good quality up front. We have players with tempo, who can create and score chances.“

HSV's recent 1-5 home thrashing by Hoffenheim is not seen as an advantage by Luhukay. The Dutchman again: „After that defeat you can rest assured that HSV are not coming to Berlin just to hand over the points. They will be keen to beat us and make good what happened last weekend.“ Of Saturday's clash Luhukay said: „We want to carry on our attacking style, be successful and if possible win the game. We will give our all in order to achieve that goal.“ The 50 year old coach isn't unduly worried about HSV set up their stall at the Olympic stadium. He told the media: „If they decide to play defensively we know that style from last season in Bundesliga 2. If they adopt an attacking approach it could be a really good game.“ 

Van der Vaart: "We must win back our honour"

HSV captain Rafael van der Vaart Rafael van der Vaart: "We must not lose our heads. We showed how well we can play at Schalke. I expect us to perform like that in Berlin." The Dutchman continued: "We as a team must not forget that defence begins up front with the strikers and doesn't end until the very back with our keeper. I am conviced that we will perform well in Berlin." Fink has been forced to resuffle his starting line-up.

Marcell Jansen has been ruled out as has English centre back Michael Mancienne, so Jansen's place at left back is expected to be filled by Zhi Gin Lam. Fink has further alternatives in Heiko Westermann or Petr Jiracek. The latter could get the nod in left midfield, because one thing is certain: Latvian striker Artjoms Rudnevs will be up front on his own in Berlin. That could mean that summer signing Hakan Calhanoglu could revert to the bench. However Fink decides to pick his team, the focus will be on a good team performance.

Possible line-ups:

Hertha BSC: Kraft - Pekarik, Langkamp, Brooks, Holland - Lustenberger, Hosogai - Allagui, Baumjohann, Ben-Hatira – Ramos

HSV: Adler - Diekmeier, Westermann, Sobiech, Lam  - Badelj, Arslan - Zoua, Van der Vaart, Beister - Rudnevs/Calhanoglu