By Roberto Lamprecht and Paul Gorgas
Now Hertha has to get into the red! Leader Kevin-Prince Boateng (36) knows what is at stake: On Friday, the Berliners will go to Schalke as the penultimate table.
More explosiveness in the relegation battle is not possible – only the winner gets a little closer to the saving bank.
Boateng’s tough declaration of war: “We have a huge game on Friday. There will be more back and forth. There might even be a red card from time to time.”
Does Hertha see RED in the relegation battle?
One thing is clear: the club in the capital will only survive in the royal blue with maximum effort. The black elf has to go to the limits of what is permitted – and possibly beyond.
That’s exactly what Boateng, who played for Schalke himself from 2013 to 2015 (60 competitive games), demands: “We’re in a relegation battle, we’re not here to play well or to take our foot off. If that’s close to the red card, then so be it. We are here to fight.”
It was precisely because of such announcements that Boateng was allowed to play in the starting XI twice in a row under coach Sandro Schwarz (44). In the otherwise rather quiet and leaderless squad, Boateng is the boss – also on the field.
He says: “I always feel better and it gives me strength to talk to the boys when dad is on the pitch.”
Boateng’s final sprint helped Hertha stay in the league last season. With more playing times for the midfielder, Hertha reached the relegation and defeated HSV there.
But Boateng can do without a repeat: “We want to bag it beforehand.” A win against Schalke MUST be there for that.