Teams | September 22, 2013 at 05:30 PM
Return to winning ways?
Return to winning ways?
Hertha BSC hope for a return to winning ways in their Bundesliga matchday 6 encounter in Freiburg on Sunday (22.09.13).
Berlin - On Sunday (22.09.13, 15.30 CET) Hertha BSC visit the Mage-Solar-Stadion to face SC Freiburg on Bundesliga matchday 6. While Hertha unluckily lost 0-1 at home to VfB Stuttgart their Black Forest-based hosts were losing 1-2 at FC Augsburg. Freiburg were in Europa League action on Thursday. After taking a 2-0 lead over Czech side Liberec, the Bundesliga side had to settle for a 2-2 draw. Hertha have a positive record against Freiburg. Of the sixteen games played between the sides so far, Hertha have eight victories, there were five draws and only three defeats.
At the pre-match press conference held on Friday (20.09.13) Berlin boss Jos Luhukay revealed his assessment of Freiburg. He told the media: "I presume we all saw Freiburg play in the Europa League and how they took a 2-0 lead, only to squander it, through mistakes that nobody expected to see. But that is football, and we hope to bounce back with a win after losing twice. We would also be happy with a point. Our goal is however to win there. We know that Freiburg lack stability at the moment so maybe we can capitalise on that on Sunday in certain situations." Selection for Luhukay is the same as it was last week, with Marcel Ndjeng and Alexander Baumjohann both ruled out through injury. Hany Mukhtar resumed training this week, but the Freiburg game comes too early for him. Luhukay refused to confirm or deny that Sebastian Langkamp would return to the team. Luhukay: "I want to keep my options open with regard to Sebastian because we still have two training sessions to go before the game. I will then sit down and consider whether or not he will feature.
Luhukay is not unduly worried - Streich has his players and not political elections on his mind
What does slightly worry the Hertha coach however are the two consecutive defeats suffered recently in Wolfsburg (0-2) and at home to VfB Stuttgart (0-1) last time out. Hertha BSC manager Michael Preetz on recent performances: "Results are sometimes harshly criticised by the media. When one looks at the Stuttgart defeat, the positive aspects far outweigh the negative. We had excellent statistics and the result did not reflect the game. We allowed a team playing in Europe this season only two scoring chances." Luhukay will maintain his attacking approach. The Dutchman: "We must carry on down the same path. While we respect the quality of Freiburg, we remain an attack minded, active and aggressive side. we will try to play that way on Sunday." Hertha's coach has huge respect for what Freiburg achieved last season. He explained: "The club and fans have waited twelve long years to be able to play in Europe again. They worked fantastically well to achieve that goal. I have a lot of respect for that." Luhukay knows that Freiburg can be a force at home. He told the media: "We are well aware that Freiburg are usually uncomfortable to play against when they are at home."
Freiburg coach Christian Streich had a lot of questions to answer on his side's Europa League draw. He told the gathered media: "We did a lot of things right in the first half. We did not do everything wrong after the break, but we simply couldn’t keep up what we showed in the first half for 90 minutes." Streich said on Hertha: "Hertha are quite flexible and always looking to win the ball in order to bring their quick players into the game to score goals. They are very concentrated and focused. They are a Jos Luhukay team." About the slender home defeat of Hertha to Stuttgart Streich added: "They played well and were unlucky to lose, simply because Hertha had much more possession and clear cut scoring chances. They are a good Bundesliga side." The national elections on Sunday are not on the mind of the Freiburg coach. He admitted: "The elections are not of any interest to me at all."
Possible line-ups:
SC Freiburg: Baumann - Höfler, Ginter, Diagne, Sorg/Günter - Schuster, Fernandes - Schmid, Coquelin/Kerk - Freis, Guédé/Mehmedi
Hertha BSC: Kraft - Pekarik, Langkamp/Lustenberger, Brooks, van den Bergh - Lustenberger/Niemeyer, Hosogai - Allagui/Skjelbred, Ronny, Ben-Hatira - Ramos
At the pre-match press conference held on Friday (20.09.13) Berlin boss Jos Luhukay revealed his assessment of Freiburg. He told the media: "I presume we all saw Freiburg play in the Europa League and how they took a 2-0 lead, only to squander it, through mistakes that nobody expected to see. But that is football, and we hope to bounce back with a win after losing twice. We would also be happy with a point. Our goal is however to win there. We know that Freiburg lack stability at the moment so maybe we can capitalise on that on Sunday in certain situations." Selection for Luhukay is the same as it was last week, with Marcel Ndjeng and Alexander Baumjohann both ruled out through injury. Hany Mukhtar resumed training this week, but the Freiburg game comes too early for him. Luhukay refused to confirm or deny that Sebastian Langkamp would return to the team. Luhukay: "I want to keep my options open with regard to Sebastian because we still have two training sessions to go before the game. I will then sit down and consider whether or not he will feature.
Luhukay is not unduly worried - Streich has his players and not political elections on his mind
What does slightly worry the Hertha coach however are the two consecutive defeats suffered recently in Wolfsburg (0-2) and at home to VfB Stuttgart (0-1) last time out. Hertha BSC manager Michael Preetz on recent performances: "Results are sometimes harshly criticised by the media. When one looks at the Stuttgart defeat, the positive aspects far outweigh the negative. We had excellent statistics and the result did not reflect the game. We allowed a team playing in Europe this season only two scoring chances." Luhukay will maintain his attacking approach. The Dutchman: "We must carry on down the same path. While we respect the quality of Freiburg, we remain an attack minded, active and aggressive side. we will try to play that way on Sunday." Hertha's coach has huge respect for what Freiburg achieved last season. He explained: "The club and fans have waited twelve long years to be able to play in Europe again. They worked fantastically well to achieve that goal. I have a lot of respect for that." Luhukay knows that Freiburg can be a force at home. He told the media: "We are well aware that Freiburg are usually uncomfortable to play against when they are at home."
Freiburg coach Christian Streich had a lot of questions to answer on his side's Europa League draw. He told the gathered media: "We did a lot of things right in the first half. We did not do everything wrong after the break, but we simply couldn’t keep up what we showed in the first half for 90 minutes." Streich said on Hertha: "Hertha are quite flexible and always looking to win the ball in order to bring their quick players into the game to score goals. They are very concentrated and focused. They are a Jos Luhukay team." About the slender home defeat of Hertha to Stuttgart Streich added: "They played well and were unlucky to lose, simply because Hertha had much more possession and clear cut scoring chances. They are a good Bundesliga side." The national elections on Sunday are not on the mind of the Freiburg coach. He admitted: "The elections are not of any interest to me at all."
Possible line-ups:
SC Freiburg: Baumann - Höfler, Ginter, Diagne, Sorg/Günter - Schuster, Fernandes - Schmid, Coquelin/Kerk - Freis, Guédé/Mehmedi
Hertha BSC: Kraft - Pekarik, Langkamp/Lustenberger, Brooks, van den Bergh - Lustenberger/Niemeyer, Hosogai - Allagui/Skjelbred, Ronny, Ben-Hatira - Ramos