Teams | April 26, 2014 at 07:35 PM
Braunschweig in town!
Braunschweig in town!
On Saturday (26.04.14) Eintracht Braunschweig visit the Olympic stadium in Berlin.
Berlin - On Saturday (26.04.14, 3.30 pm) Hertha BSC host Eintracht Braunschweig on Bundesliga matchday 32 . It is the penultimate home game of the season for coach Jos Luhukay's men and represents one of the final times for fans to see the team play at the famous Olympic stadium this season. After two straight losses, the visitors are still propping up the Bundesliga table but still have a chance of staying up. Hertha's 0-0 away to Augsburg last time out ensured that the capital city will be represented in the top flight next season! Both teams were promoted from Bundesliga 2 last season and have since enjoyed differing fortunes. While Hertha hit top form early on and finished the opening half of the season with a creditable 28 points, Eintracht needed quite a bit of time to get used to life in the top flight. They are considered by pundits to be relegation certainties, but have fought back and still have a slight chance of avoiding the drop. A win in Berlin on Saturday would help their cause no-end.
After Dortmund-bound top scorer Adrian Ramos missed the games against Bayer 04 Leverkusen and FC Augsburg through injury, the Columbian dangerman is available for selection again and could face Braunschweig. Brazilian midfielder Ronny is also in the squad after missing part of training this weak with an illness which required medication. Bitter news on the other hand for all Hertha fans is the news that captain Fabian Lustenbeger will play no part in the rest of the season. The popular Swiss midfielder's old injury flared up again during warm up ahead of kick off in Augsburg last weekend. Luhukay has apart from him all of his other players at his disposal.
Home win for the fans?
Braunschwieg haven't won in Berlin for over 49 years. In order to make that 50 and at the same time secure what would be the first home win of 2014, the team will require a focused and determined performance on Saturday. Braunschweig have enjoyed some success recently and Hertha will have to take the game to them from the off to keep them at bay. What Hertha need more than anything is to finally round off good approach work with the killer telling ball to their front men – something mainly missing this year. After nine winless games, the team owe the faithful fans a home win. The chances of victory look good on papaer. After all Niedersachsen-based Braunschweig have only take seven points on their travels so far this season. Their last away win was in October 2013 against Niedersachsen rivals VfL Wolfsburg.
That Braunschweig are still in determined and confident mood is mainly down to coach Torsten Lieberknecht and Eintracht manager - former Hertha man Marc Arnold. Although the club has occupied bottom spot since matchday 13, they still have a chance to escape the relegation trapdoor. After all 16th place which would see them play a two-legged play off is only two points awy. They even have an outside chance of reaching 15th place. To clear the minds of all involved, Eintracht travelled to Neuruppin this week for a mini training camp.
Braunschweig at mini training camp
The squad were put through their paces at Ruppiner See, knowing that their final three games of the season can realistically be desctribed as „cup finals“: „We want to nurture our good team spirit in order to reach what is a reachable target“, says Lieberknecht, who is without the services of long term patients Jan Washausen, Gianluca Korte and Timo Perthel. Central defender Ermin Bicakcic returns from suspenson while midfielder Damir Vrančić is on board again following a bruised foot injury. Marcel Correia and Karim Bellarabi, who were suspended for the last game against Bayern Munich are available for selection again.
"Hertha are a good side but we want to take all three points back to Braunschweig with us. We will gave our all in order to take this huge chance" says Eintracht man Elabdellaoui. But Hertha boss Luhukay has other ideas. The Dutchman: „We have nothing to give away. We know Braunschweig very well and know that they play with a lot of passion. It is up to us to match them.“ In order to give home fans something to celebrate at home for the first time this year Hertha must become more prolific in front of goal. Luhukay concluded: „We want to win ther game. We have yet to win a t home this year and will have to perform at the very top level to do so.“
Possible line-ups:
Hertha BSC: Kraft - Pekarik, Langkamp, Brooks, van den Bergh - Hosogai - Allagui, Skjelbred, Cigerci, Schulz - Ramos
Eintracht Braunschweig: Davari - Elabdellaoui, Bicakcic, Dogan, Reichel - Kratz, Theuerkauf - Boland, Hochscheidt - Kruppke, Nielsen
After Dortmund-bound top scorer Adrian Ramos missed the games against Bayer 04 Leverkusen and FC Augsburg through injury, the Columbian dangerman is available for selection again and could face Braunschweig. Brazilian midfielder Ronny is also in the squad after missing part of training this weak with an illness which required medication. Bitter news on the other hand for all Hertha fans is the news that captain Fabian Lustenbeger will play no part in the rest of the season. The popular Swiss midfielder's old injury flared up again during warm up ahead of kick off in Augsburg last weekend. Luhukay has apart from him all of his other players at his disposal.
Home win for the fans?
Braunschwieg haven't won in Berlin for over 49 years. In order to make that 50 and at the same time secure what would be the first home win of 2014, the team will require a focused and determined performance on Saturday. Braunschweig have enjoyed some success recently and Hertha will have to take the game to them from the off to keep them at bay. What Hertha need more than anything is to finally round off good approach work with the killer telling ball to their front men – something mainly missing this year. After nine winless games, the team owe the faithful fans a home win. The chances of victory look good on papaer. After all Niedersachsen-based Braunschweig have only take seven points on their travels so far this season. Their last away win was in October 2013 against Niedersachsen rivals VfL Wolfsburg.
That Braunschweig are still in determined and confident mood is mainly down to coach Torsten Lieberknecht and Eintracht manager - former Hertha man Marc Arnold. Although the club has occupied bottom spot since matchday 13, they still have a chance to escape the relegation trapdoor. After all 16th place which would see them play a two-legged play off is only two points awy. They even have an outside chance of reaching 15th place. To clear the minds of all involved, Eintracht travelled to Neuruppin this week for a mini training camp.
Braunschweig at mini training camp
The squad were put through their paces at Ruppiner See, knowing that their final three games of the season can realistically be desctribed as „cup finals“: „We want to nurture our good team spirit in order to reach what is a reachable target“, says Lieberknecht, who is without the services of long term patients Jan Washausen, Gianluca Korte and Timo Perthel. Central defender Ermin Bicakcic returns from suspenson while midfielder Damir Vrančić is on board again following a bruised foot injury. Marcel Correia and Karim Bellarabi, who were suspended for the last game against Bayern Munich are available for selection again.
"Hertha are a good side but we want to take all three points back to Braunschweig with us. We will gave our all in order to take this huge chance" says Eintracht man Elabdellaoui. But Hertha boss Luhukay has other ideas. The Dutchman: „We have nothing to give away. We know Braunschweig very well and know that they play with a lot of passion. It is up to us to match them.“ In order to give home fans something to celebrate at home for the first time this year Hertha must become more prolific in front of goal. Luhukay concluded: „We want to win ther game. We have yet to win a t home this year and will have to perform at the very top level to do so.“
Possible line-ups:
Hertha BSC: Kraft - Pekarik, Langkamp, Brooks, van den Bergh - Hosogai - Allagui, Skjelbred, Cigerci, Schulz - Ramos
Eintracht Braunschweig: Davari - Elabdellaoui, Bicakcic, Dogan, Reichel - Kratz, Theuerkauf - Boland, Hochscheidt - Kruppke, Nielsen