“Converting the hard work into three points”

The first game of the season at the Olympiastadion is always something special for Hertha. That is no different this year and there is a real sense of excitement ahead of Saturday’s game against Eintracht Frankfurt (15:30 CEST). It will also be an extra special occasion for Sandro Schwarz, who is looking forward to his first home game as head coach: “I am very much looking forward to my first game in charge at the Olympiastadion in front of our fans. We are going to need to bring the energy and aggression that we have shown in training this week against such a good opponent,” explained the gaffer. Along with the sense of anticipation, Fredi Bobic has also noticed that there is a desire for improvement within the squad: “The lads were not happy with their performance in the last game and were self-critical, which is the correct approach. They want to do things better, win games and convert the hard work into three points. That is the goal.” Here are the most important statements from today’s presser.

Sandro Schwarz and Fredi Bobic on...

Sandro Schwarz: I am very much looking forward to my first game in charge at the Olympiastadion in front of our fans. They were outstanding last week. In order to get ourselves in the mood, we have used the opportunity to train in the Olympiastadion this week. I think it’s important, especially for our younger players, to get a feel for the place, for the surroundings and for the pitch.

Sandro Schwarz: We only concern ourselves with the things that we can influence. It’s not about how the opposition are feeling. It’s about us. The players are focused and are relishing the hard work, from what I can see. At the start of the week we placed a lot of emphasis on one vs. ones and on duels. The players were focused as we worked on those things and we need to implement them on Saturday. We can squeeze out an extra ten percent if we have this competitive attitude and are consistent. We have to make the most of the spaces that open up for us and play in them with a certain velocity.

Fredi Bobic: We haven’t minced our words after the first two games and we will continue to be honest about our performances. The lads were not happy with their performance in the last game and were self-critical, which is the correct approach. They want to do things better, win games and convert the hard work into three points. That is the goal.

Sandro Schwarz: We have analysed Eintracht in lots of detail and we watched their game against Magdeburg live in the ground. They have lots of quality, they are compact and aggressive at the back, they switch up their formations and are flexible in the middle. We will need to be prepared for what comes our way and set ourselves up accordingly. We are going to need to bring the energy and aggression that we have shown in training this week against such a good opponent.

Fredi Bobic: Filip Kostić is a huge player, not just in Frankfurt but also in the Bundesliga as a whole. It would therefore be a shame if he moved to another club. But his possible departure doesn’t mean it will be any easier for us on Saturday.