Teams | February 16, 2014 at 03:10 PM
Duel between table neighbours
Duel between table neighbours
Tight game expected on matchday 21 on Sunday (16.02.14).
Berlin - Both teams have a lot in common ahead of the Bundesliga matchday 21 clash at the Olympic stadium on Sunday (16.02.14, 5.30pm). Hertha BSC and VfL Wolfsburg began the second half of the season with two defeats, only to win their last games by three goals. While Hertha were easily beating relegation-haunted HSV in Hamburg, the Wolves triumphed in Mainz with three second half goals. Both sides are next to each other in the Bundesliga table on course for what promises to be a good season. A Hertha win on Sunday could move them up to sixth place should other results go their way.
Once again Berlin boss Jos Luhukay is without his influential Swiss-born skipper Fabian Lustenberger through injury so he must improvise his line-up in central defence. Veteran Georgian Levan Kobiashvili looks likely to start in his place. The game on Sunday comes too early for young Norwegian keeper Rune Almenning Jarstein, who is expected to rejoin the squad next week. Alexander Baumjohann and Fabian Holland are short of match practise and will miss Sunday's encounter. Sascha Burchert, Nico Schulz and Christoph Janker will play for the reserves away to Lok Leipzig.
More of the same please
Hertha returned to winning ways with a convincing 3-0 win against HSV at the Imtech Arena in Hamburg last time out. The capital city side could even afford to miss a penalty through top scorer Adrian Ramos that day. Luhukay could opt to play Tolga Cigerci on Sunday. The on loan central midfielder said this week: "We are playing at home with our own fans behind us so of course we are going for a win."
After beating Mainz 3-0 away on matchday 20, Sunday's Niedersachsen-based visitors travel to the capital city in optimistic mood. In midweek the Wolves reached the DFB Cup semi-finals by way of a 3-2 win away to Hoffenheim. Borussia Dortmund now stand in their way of a place in the final at the Olympic stadium in Berlin in May. Wolfsburg are tight at the back and boast the third best defensive record in the Bundesliga, having only conceded 24 goals so far. Only Bayer Leverkusen (20) and Bayern Munich (9) have a better defensive tally. Luhukay on the Wolves: "They are consistently stable and have technically gifted players in their team, who can set up and score goals."
Defensive kingpin Naldo suspended
Wolfsburg's defensive kingpin Naldo misses Sunday's game through suspension. Timm Klose is expected to replace the classy Brazilian at the back. The tall Swiss-born defender arrived in Wolfsburg in the summer of 2013 with high hopes. He was however unable to dislodge young Robin Knoche, who has formed an impressive partnership with Naldo at the heat of the Wolfsburg defence. The Wolves are also without key midfielder Jan Polák as well as long term injured Vieirinha. Central midfielder Slobodan Medojević is available for selection again and could form a partnership with Luiz Gustavo in front of the back four.
Possible line-ups:
Hertha BSC: Kraft – Ndjeng, Langkamp, Kobiashvili, Pekarik – Hosogai, Cigerci – Allagui, Skjelbred, van den Bergh – Ramos
VfL Wolfsburg: Benaglio – Träsch, Klose, Knoche, Rodríguez – Medojević, Luiz Gustavo – Arnold, de Bruyne, Perisic – Dost
Once again Berlin boss Jos Luhukay is without his influential Swiss-born skipper Fabian Lustenberger through injury so he must improvise his line-up in central defence. Veteran Georgian Levan Kobiashvili looks likely to start in his place. The game on Sunday comes too early for young Norwegian keeper Rune Almenning Jarstein, who is expected to rejoin the squad next week. Alexander Baumjohann and Fabian Holland are short of match practise and will miss Sunday's encounter. Sascha Burchert, Nico Schulz and Christoph Janker will play for the reserves away to Lok Leipzig.
More of the same please
Hertha returned to winning ways with a convincing 3-0 win against HSV at the Imtech Arena in Hamburg last time out. The capital city side could even afford to miss a penalty through top scorer Adrian Ramos that day. Luhukay could opt to play Tolga Cigerci on Sunday. The on loan central midfielder said this week: "We are playing at home with our own fans behind us so of course we are going for a win."
After beating Mainz 3-0 away on matchday 20, Sunday's Niedersachsen-based visitors travel to the capital city in optimistic mood. In midweek the Wolves reached the DFB Cup semi-finals by way of a 3-2 win away to Hoffenheim. Borussia Dortmund now stand in their way of a place in the final at the Olympic stadium in Berlin in May. Wolfsburg are tight at the back and boast the third best defensive record in the Bundesliga, having only conceded 24 goals so far. Only Bayer Leverkusen (20) and Bayern Munich (9) have a better defensive tally. Luhukay on the Wolves: "They are consistently stable and have technically gifted players in their team, who can set up and score goals."
Defensive kingpin Naldo suspended
Wolfsburg's defensive kingpin Naldo misses Sunday's game through suspension. Timm Klose is expected to replace the classy Brazilian at the back. The tall Swiss-born defender arrived in Wolfsburg in the summer of 2013 with high hopes. He was however unable to dislodge young Robin Knoche, who has formed an impressive partnership with Naldo at the heat of the Wolfsburg defence. The Wolves are also without key midfielder Jan Polák as well as long term injured Vieirinha. Central midfielder Slobodan Medojević is available for selection again and could form a partnership with Luiz Gustavo in front of the back four.
Possible line-ups:
Hertha BSC: Kraft – Ndjeng, Langkamp, Kobiashvili, Pekarik – Hosogai, Cigerci – Allagui, Skjelbred, van den Bergh – Ramos
VfL Wolfsburg: Benaglio – Träsch, Klose, Knoche, Rodríguez – Medojević, Luiz Gustavo – Arnold, de Bruyne, Perisic – Dost