Teams | October 4, 2013 at 12:36 PM
Tough task in Hannover
Tough task in Hannover
Hertha BSC visit Niedersachsen-based Hannover 96 on Friday evening (04.10.13) on Bundesliga matchday 8.
Berlin - Bundesliga matchday 8 opens on Friday evening (04.10.13, 20.30 pm) with a top five clash, as, Hannover 96 (4th)welcome Hertha BSC (5th) to the HDI-Arena in Hannover. While Hertha were beating Mainz 05 at home last time out, Hannover were losing away to Champions League participants Bayer 04 Leverkusen. Hannover are a real force at home this season, as their record of four wins in four games underlines. Hertha will be taking around 2,500 fans with them to the game. On paper, Hertha's record against Friday's hosts is quite good. In 34 games between the two sides, Hertha have 15 wins, there have been 11 draws and only 8 defeats.
Berlin coach Jos Luhukay has plenty of selection options open to him, although Alexander Baumjohann, Marcel Ndjeng and John Anthony Brooks missed the trip through injury. Änis Ben-Hatira had a slight knock during the week but took part in the final pre-match training session and has made the squad. Luhukay on Hannover: "They are a strong side at home with a lot of quality. They are dangerous from open play as well as set pieces." The Dutchman knows how crucial his defence will be if the capital city side are to take anything home with them from the match. At the pre-match press conference the day before the game Luhukay told the media that he has his starting line-up in his head, but as usual was keeping mum on the subject.
Luuhkay: "Emotions are a good thing on the whole"
The emotion shown by the team and Luhukay himself recently are something positive according to the Hertha coach: "It shows that we are putting heart and passion into it. That goes for all of us. We all want success with Hertha but we must remain realistic", warned the 50 year old about high expectations in and around the capital city. Luhukay is happy with the way things have gone in the top flight since the team won the Bundesliga 2 championship last season. He explained: "We are on the right track in the Bundesliga. We are taking our first steps on a long path, and I am happy with the team." Luhukay went on to explain why his side are not as effective at set pieces as they were last season: "The quality in the Bundesliga is much higher. The teams are physically stronger and defend better." Berlin manager Michael Preetz is also happy with how things have gone so far. Hertha's all time goal scorer: "Our team plays with courage. You only have to look at our performances at home this season. But I must say that we switched to counter attack well away to Nürnberg and Wolfsburg too."
Hannover coach Mirko Slomka on Hertha BSC ahead of Friday's clash: "Berlin will be very tight at the back and in Ben-Hatira, Ramos, Allagui and Ronny have excellent quality up front. Hertha are a very good newly-promoted side who deserve to be in the top third of the Bundesliga table. We expect a physically demanding game, during which it will be important to win the second ball and quickly switch from defence to attack." Slomka has been forced to make a couple of changes to the team which lost in Leverkusen last weekend, after Salif Sané and Mame Diouf were ruled out through injury. Veteran striker Jan Schlaudraff could be an option for up front, although the Hannover coach would only say: "we know what qualities he has, but he has to defend too. The tendency this week went in that direction but I have not decided yet. Salif Sané is out with a bout of flu, his place could go to gritty central defender Christian Schulz.
Zieler: "Hertha anything but an "average" newly-promoted side"
Hannover hope that their strong home form will consolidate their position in the top third of the table. Slomka knows though that his side are not a top team. The coach: "we want to consolidate our position in the table. We are not a top side, otherwise we would have done better away from home. We look forward to playing at home because we are a force in our own stadium. We want to underline that fact on Friday night." Hannover keeper Ron Robert Zieler on his team's ambitions this term: "we want a return to European football. Out two years playing in the Europa League were great and we want more of the same." he also had a word of warning on Friday's visitors. The stopper: "You cannot describe Hertha as an "average" newly-promoted team. They were very strong in Bundesliga 2 last season and entered the new season well prepared. Their 6-1 against Frankfurt and 3-1 results against Mainz underline that fact."
Possible line-ups:
Hannover 96: Zieler - Sakai, Schulz, Marcelo, Pocognoli- Andreasen, Stindl - Bittencourt/Prib, Huszti - Sobiech, Schlaudraff/Ya Konan
Hertha BSC: Kraft - Pekarik, Langkamp, Lustenberger, , van den Bergh - Skjelbred, Hosogai - Allagui, Ronny, Ben-Hatira - Ramos
Berlin coach Jos Luhukay has plenty of selection options open to him, although Alexander Baumjohann, Marcel Ndjeng and John Anthony Brooks missed the trip through injury. Änis Ben-Hatira had a slight knock during the week but took part in the final pre-match training session and has made the squad. Luhukay on Hannover: "They are a strong side at home with a lot of quality. They are dangerous from open play as well as set pieces." The Dutchman knows how crucial his defence will be if the capital city side are to take anything home with them from the match. At the pre-match press conference the day before the game Luhukay told the media that he has his starting line-up in his head, but as usual was keeping mum on the subject.
Luuhkay: "Emotions are a good thing on the whole"
The emotion shown by the team and Luhukay himself recently are something positive according to the Hertha coach: "It shows that we are putting heart and passion into it. That goes for all of us. We all want success with Hertha but we must remain realistic", warned the 50 year old about high expectations in and around the capital city. Luhukay is happy with the way things have gone in the top flight since the team won the Bundesliga 2 championship last season. He explained: "We are on the right track in the Bundesliga. We are taking our first steps on a long path, and I am happy with the team." Luhukay went on to explain why his side are not as effective at set pieces as they were last season: "The quality in the Bundesliga is much higher. The teams are physically stronger and defend better." Berlin manager Michael Preetz is also happy with how things have gone so far. Hertha's all time goal scorer: "Our team plays with courage. You only have to look at our performances at home this season. But I must say that we switched to counter attack well away to Nürnberg and Wolfsburg too."
Hannover coach Mirko Slomka on Hertha BSC ahead of Friday's clash: "Berlin will be very tight at the back and in Ben-Hatira, Ramos, Allagui and Ronny have excellent quality up front. Hertha are a very good newly-promoted side who deserve to be in the top third of the Bundesliga table. We expect a physically demanding game, during which it will be important to win the second ball and quickly switch from defence to attack." Slomka has been forced to make a couple of changes to the team which lost in Leverkusen last weekend, after Salif Sané and Mame Diouf were ruled out through injury. Veteran striker Jan Schlaudraff could be an option for up front, although the Hannover coach would only say: "we know what qualities he has, but he has to defend too. The tendency this week went in that direction but I have not decided yet. Salif Sané is out with a bout of flu, his place could go to gritty central defender Christian Schulz.
Zieler: "Hertha anything but an "average" newly-promoted side"
Hannover hope that their strong home form will consolidate their position in the top third of the table. Slomka knows though that his side are not a top team. The coach: "we want to consolidate our position in the table. We are not a top side, otherwise we would have done better away from home. We look forward to playing at home because we are a force in our own stadium. We want to underline that fact on Friday night." Hannover keeper Ron Robert Zieler on his team's ambitions this term: "we want a return to European football. Out two years playing in the Europa League were great and we want more of the same." he also had a word of warning on Friday's visitors. The stopper: "You cannot describe Hertha as an "average" newly-promoted team. They were very strong in Bundesliga 2 last season and entered the new season well prepared. Their 6-1 against Frankfurt and 3-1 results against Mainz underline that fact."
Possible line-ups:
Hannover 96: Zieler - Sakai, Schulz, Marcelo, Pocognoli- Andreasen, Stindl - Bittencourt/Prib, Huszti - Sobiech, Schlaudraff/Ya Konan
Hertha BSC: Kraft - Pekarik, Langkamp, Lustenberger, , van den Bergh - Skjelbred, Hosogai - Allagui, Ronny, Ben-Hatira - Ramos