“The connection with Hertha will live forever!”

It’s been nearly a year, 356 days to be exact, since Fabian Lustenberger last pulled on the Hertha BSC jersey. It was match day 34 of the 2018/19 season, his 308th appearance for the club after 12 seasons in Berlin. He came to the Spree as a 19 year old from Switzerland and witnessed promotion, relegation and European games as he became one of them most experienced and celebrated Hertha players in recent history. And since then, he’s still not left the hearts and minds of any Herthaner out there. “I had 12 great years in Berlin at Hertha, 12 years where I really grew up, both on and off the pitch. I started my family in Berlin - the connection I have to Hertha will last forever!”, said the father of three over the phone to us. In this interview, the BSC Young Boys number 28 from Bern spoke about life during the Corona crisis in Switzerland, and of course, about his time with the ‘Old Lady’.

herthabsc.de: Lusti, you turned 32 last week. How did you spend your birthday during this crisis?

Lustenberger: Oh it was a really relaxed day. Luckily for me it wasn’t one of the big ones so we were able to keep it small. My parents and my brother came by to wish me a happy birthday from outside which was really nice. In the evening, me and my kids had a nice barbecue. The weather may have been bd, but it was my birthday, so we were doing it no matter what (smiles).

herthabsc.de: There’s no getting around it - Corona has been a massive thing in Switzerland too. What do you make of the current situation?

Lustenberger: At the start of the year I heard there was a virus going around in China, but I thought it was so far away it could never affect me. Then it proceeded to get more and more serious with more and more infections being reported in Europe. Then the first game in the Swiss league was postponed before a little later, everything went into lockdown. I’m just happy that all the people in my close circle have managed to stay healthy and we’ve all tried to make the best of a bad situation. I’ve been at home now since around the middle of March.

herthabsc.de: As a father, but also as a football player, you’ve had to keep fit and prepare for the new season I presume.

Lustenberger: It’s been nice despite all the challenges that have come along with it. I lived alone in Berlin for about two years before my transfer, so for me it was nice to get some of the time back with my family that I had lost during those years. I’ve been going on walks with my kids and my dog, even the weather has held out for us. But of course we’re all taking the situation very seriously and we’ve told the kids exactly why we all have to stay home. We’ve kept in contact with my parents over FaceTime, the visit for my birthday was the first time I’d seen them, but even then that was from a distance. It’s a lot like it is in Germany here, we only go out for shopping for a walk, but we don’t have such a strict policy like in Italy or in Spain.

herthabsc.de: Have you been going out of your mind at home?

Lustenberger: I’ve used the time as well as I can, and I’ve become a real member of the household that I was only a guest in for two years in Berlin (laughs). I try to help my wife around the house, but things like cooking just aren’t in my toolhouse. It’s better if I don’t get involved with that side of things - for health reasons (laughs). It’s clear though, that this situation can’t persist. We have to get back to the days where we could go out more than once a day soon enough. I’m very excited for the kids to go back to school, and I’m even more excited to get back to playing football. I think it will be nice to get back into a rhythm.

herthabsc.de: It was announced that the Bundesliga will get back underway on the 16th May, and the boys here have already begun to get back into training. How’s it looking at your club, BSC Young Boys?

Lustenberger: I’m hoping that we can get back to team training on 11th May, even if we have to change before we get there. At the end of May then I think it’ll be decided, just how and when the league will get back underway. At the moment we have to train at home five or six times a week. In the evening it’s about planning for the next day. There are some training sessions we have to do solo, and then some over Zoom with our fitness trainer, so there’s a bit of variety and it’s nice to be able to speak to some of the boys I haven’t seen for ages. I’ll just be happy when we can get back playing and we’re all out on the pitch together again.

herthabsc.de: In the Bundesliga, game operations will have been dormant for about two months when we get back underway. The break will have been even longer in Switzerland where it’s been more than 15 weeks between the last game so far at the end of February and possible restart in June. Are you opposed to this long break?

Lustenberger: It has not always been easy to keep motivated, because the moment you are working towards doesn’t exist. Only great self-motivation helps and possibly someone who kicks you up the backside every now and then. Now we have a clue again, we’ll get going properly. The last few weeks ahead the first game will be huge preparations. It starts like after a summer break, we haven't played a game for a long time. We are fit when we are inside, but football fitness with the ball is a completely different story. We have to get that back in the first few weeks which will be a big challenge. And the last challenge we’ll have to face is games without fans. But we all have no experience in this, we’ll just have to try to adjust ourselves mentally so that we are ready and make the best of this situation.

herthabsc.de: Let's talk about your current footballing situation. With 13 games to go, Bern is no longer the leader and is tied for second with leader St. Gallen. What do you make of your season so far and do you think you’ll qualify for the Champions League?

Lustenberger: We want to be at the top at the end, that's clear and we can still do it. But we can be relatively happy with our showing so far, I think. In the summer there was a big change in the team with a lot of new players coming in, and a lot of the old guard, who have done great things here, have gone. The second half of the season has not gone exactly to plan because of those two defeats, but we can still get where we need to be. It was really gutting that we went out in the Champions League qualification round against Red Star Belgrade. In the Europa League we actually played well in the group stages against well-known teams such as Porto, Rotterdam and Rangers, but in the end we went out again. It wasn't a huge upset, but it definitely hurt us a bit.

herthabsc.de: Of all things, an injury against Lucerne, your youth club, brought you down from the top of the table. Was going off against them particularly painful?

Lustenberger: You mean because we lost 2-0 and I scored an own goal? It was a nice game to be involved in because Lucerne is my home and I have great memories of my time there. I have to say though, I did score my first header of my career there, even though it was in an 11-2 win against a lower-league side.

herthabsc.de: A question you’ve been asked several times centres around your status within the team. As one of the more experienced players in the squad, you immediately became the captain. Were you excited by that or does wearing the armband not really make a difference for you, given that you enjoy taking on responsibility anyways?

Lustenberger: It’s a mix of everything. As a new player, you aren’t expecting to be named captain straight away. On the one hand, it goes to show the expectations the club had for me, and on the other, it was also a sign of appreciation and recognition from the coaching staff and the team. But, I always maintained that my influence or my role wasn’t linked to wearing the captain’s armband. It was the opposite: I would have had to take on responsibility regardless of whether or not I was the captain. We have several young players. Being given that role didn’t change my mindset or my attitude.

herthabsc.de: At 32, you’re also the third-oldest player in the squad. Do you think about things like that? Are you already thinking about what might be next for you after your playing career comes to an end?

Lustenberger: I do think about my age occasionally. At 30, I was already one of the older players at Hertha, now I’m another two years closer to ending my career. It shocks me sometimes when I see that some of my teammates were born in or after 2000. They were still just kids when I joined Hertha in 2007. But, I don’t feel old and my teammates help keep me young. That’s quite nice. As long as I can keep up, then my age isn’t really an issue, even though there may be some jokes after training when I’m feeling a bit tired. But, my mouth isn’t too tired to respond with a comeback of my own (smiles). I do get the benefit of never having to start a rondo in the middle, which is a small perk of being older (laughs).

herthabsc.de: From Bern, we’re taking a look back on your time in Berlin. Which of your old teammates are you still in touch with?

Lustenberger: Valentin Stocker became a good friend during that time. We sat next to each other in the dressing room, which isn’t the case anymore as he plays for Basel now. But he lives near Luzern, same as I do, and we keep in touch regularly and, before the coronavirus hit, we even met up every now and then. I’m still in touch with David de Mel (Ed. note: physiotherapist) and Per Skjelbred. I text here and there with a few others, but there’s been some transfers recently. I was, however, in Berlin for two days in November with my wife. I visited the dressing room and got to see many familiar faces again. It was nice to be back in Berlin and at Hertha again.

herthabsc.de: You experienced plenty of highs and lows during your 12 years at Hertha - that’s an unbelievably long period of time for a footballer. When you said your goodbyes, you mentioned that several emotions only became apparent with some distance. Are there any moments you look back on now with a bit of a different perspective?

Lustenberger: I’m a bit blindsided by that question (smiles). But, it’s true, especially that last game against Leverkusen left its mark on me. I was able to get a good night's sleep the night before the game, which I didn’t think would be possible. Looking back on it, everything surrounding that game was pretty weird - definitely nice, but weird. Saying my goodbyes to the Ostkurve, it hit me that this is the end, but I only really realised it in the summer, when I didn’t have to make plans to return to Berlin. I knew that I would stay at home and could enjoy it to a certain extent. But, I enjoy looking back on that day - with the exception of the game. That night I was able to have a bit of a farewell celebration with the team and several friends. That was a nice end to a great time. The memories keep coming back to me, and somehow you want to experience it all over again and share it. But, that’s all over. I’m left with so many positive and wonderful memories, as well as several stories I could share - another time maybe (grins).

herthabsc.de: Bruno Labbadia has been brought in to help guide Hertha through the upcoming challenges facing the club. With nine matchdays remaining, the goal is to place as much distance between ourselves and the relegation zone as possible. What’s your assessment of the situation at the club?

Lustenberger: I think that the club and the head coach can be a good fit for each other. Nothing is guaranteed in football, but Bruno Labbadia is someone who can lead a rebuild. I’ve heard several good things about him, and his first impression is extremely positive, despite the coronavirus restrictions making this a bit of a special situation. Handshakes, hugs or joking around are how a head coach builds a rapport with his team in the beginning. I hope that it works out! Hertha have a talented squad, one with plenty of potential. I think that my answer demonstrates that my connection to and interest in Hertha is still there - anything else would be completely abnormal (smiles). I still try to watch the games as much as possible. We usually play on Saturday evening, so I can watch Bundesliga in the hotel beforehand. If Hertha are playing on a Sunday, then I can watch and support the team from home.

herthabsc.de: Here’s hoping you’ll be able to return to the stadium someday soon.

Lustenberger: Definitely! I always enjoy coming back for a visit, that includes going to the stadium as soon as it’s allowed again. No one will be able to stop me then. I had 12 great years at Hertha and in Berlin. Those 12 years helped shape who I am, both on and off the pitch. I started my family in Berlin, and my connection to Hertha BSC and the city will last a lifetime!