“I’ve learned a lot since arriving in Berlin”

Ondrej Duda speaks about his playing style, his aims with Hertha and the game against FC Augsburg on Saturday in the Olympiastadion.

Berlin - Perfect control, a little spin and then a perfectly timed pass behind the defence to create a chance for his teammates. It’s moments like this one in Wednesday’s training session that remind you how fine a footballer Ondrej Duda is. Ever since he moved to Hertha in 2016, he has always been one to pick out the decisive pass. It’s something that Pál Dárdai emphasises over and over. “Ondrej,” says the coach, “has the ability to make the difference in games.” The one problem is that the Slovakia international has always struggled to stay on the pitch. The 23-year-old spoke to herthabsc.de about his playmaking ability, his aims with Hertha BSC and the last three Bundesliga games of the season.

Herthabsc.de: Ondrej, the game against Frankfurt was the first time that you started since the end of January. How did it feel?

Duda: It feels good when I get to start, but that’s the case with all football players (laughs). I was also very happy that we won the game. It was my first game in the starting eleven since the Werder game due to my calf injury. I hope that I’ll be able to start the last three games of the season too to help the team as best as possible.

Herthabsc.de: After an injury affected season last year in which you only made three appearances, you’ve played in 16 Bundesliga games, eleven of which you started. You’ve also made four Europa League appearances as well as two in the DFB-Pokal. How happy are you with that record?

Duda: The season hasn’t gone that well for me personally, because I’ve played in fewer games than I would have hoped. I want to play in every game and set up goals and then score a few myself. Unfortunately I just wasn’t fit enough on a few occasions, so the coach went with someone else. My first season was even worse though. This year feels like my first in Berlin. I just have to accept that I haven’t been able to play as much as I would have liked to. I will give my all next season to play in more games. And over the rest of this season too obviously.

Herthabsc.de: Pál Dárdai is always praising your ability and wishes for a Ondrej Duda that can stay injury-free...

Duda: Well, I’m also wishing for that too. I just have to stay fit. Pál and I are in good communication. I know what he expects of me. And I trust in my ability to direct the game. It’s not always easy when you’re not quite in rhythm and are lacking a little bit of confidence though. In order to get to the top of my game I need to play in a few consecutive games and also stay free from injury. If I can do that, then I can help the team.

Herthabsc.de: In order to gather a bit of match practice, you’ve played for the Under-23s in the Regionalliga this season. To what extent has that experience helped you?

Duda: I was a bit surprised at first, when Pál told me that I would play for the reserve side. But getting the match practice did me well. Our Under-23s look to play good football. Ante Covic is also a good coach - everyone can see that. Obviously the level is a step down compared to the Bundesliga, but the game time was important for me to get better. I would say that I’ve learned a lot from the German mindset since arriving here in Berlin. I was already fairly disciplined and a hard worker before, but here I’ve upped it a notch.

Herthabsc.de: You’ve made 20 appearances for the Slovakia national team. How would you assess your performance and development under Jan Kozak?

Duda: It’s always an honour to be a part of a national side. It’s where players from lots of different clubs come to play for one team. The mood is great and I always look forward to every game with my teammates and the coaches. Unfortunately, I was also kept out of the national side last year due to a bad injury. I could have played in a lot more games than 20. Nevertheless, playing for your country is the biggest honour for a football player!

Herthabsc.de: Back to the Bundesliga now: Hertha welcome FC Augsburg to the Olympiastadion on Saturday in what is the second-to-last home game of the season. The Bavarian side proved to be a tricky opponent last time out. What do you need to do to win the game?

Duda: I hope that we will play an attractive brand of football, but the only thing that matters at the end of it all is the result. WE know that we have the ability to beat Augsburg, so we want to come away with all three points. The coach will make sure we are tactically prepared and then we will be able to give everything. I find it quite funny that people are starting to talk about the Europa League, because a few weeks ago the narrative was extending the gap between us and the relegation zone. But if we have the chance, we want to make the most of it.