By Matthias Koch and Paul Gorgas
How are the Union fans reacting to ex-Hertha player Lucas Tousart (26) after moving to Köpenicker?
Hertha access Toni Leistner (32) was mocked on July 10 by an ultra group from Charlottenburg with a slanderous poster. Presumably because the defender played for the city rivals between 2014 and 2018 and then showed sympathy for the Iron.
Now midfielder Lucas Tousart has gone directly the opposite way. So far there has obviously been no poster hostility in Köpenick. Even in the test against Rapid Vienna (3-0) a few hours after Tousart signed, there were no negative reactions from the spectators to the change.
The poster against Hertha’s newcomer: “Leistner, piss off our club” Photo: private
In the Union fan forum, Tousart was greeted in a friendly manner almost all the time. One user wrote, “It’s easier to switch from blue to red than from red to blue… ‘Cause we’re nice!”
In the Hertha cosmos, on the other hand, Tousart has become the bogeyman for many Hertha supporters. His Instagram page is full of abusive comments.
Hertha trainer Pal Dardai (47) was asked about the change and the hostilities in the training camp in Austria. He says: “Respect is the most important thing in this world, also towards other people. We have to accept that, keep the positive energy with us and not deal with other clubs or other colors.
Union legend Torsten Mattuschka (42) sees it pragmatically: “This is football. I do not have a problem with it. That’s the way it is. There will also be unionists who don’t like it. But Lucas Tousart is improving. Then you do it.”
Tousart trained at Union for the first time on Thursday. He first made a serious face on the way to the square, but then thawed visibly. In the end, of course, his performance will also decide whether he becomes the new fan favourite. Union captain Christopher Trimmel (36) has no fear of contact either, will take care of the ex-Hertha player. Trimmel: “We greet everyone the same.”
Lucas Tousart played for Hertha for three years and was the captain from time to time Photo: City Press
Union coach Urs Fischer (57) stays cool: “Lucas didn’t spend his youth at Hertha. He came to Hertha from France three years ago.” Perhaps unknowingly, Fischer was referring to striker Jessic Ngankam (23).
The ex-Herthaner (now Frankfurt) had an offer from Union this summer. But because he played for Hertha for 16 years, that was out of the question for him. According to BZ information, there were also considerations at Union weeks ago about Hertha attacker Dodi Lukebakio (25).
Ultimately, Hertha Tousart had to sell quickly because money is still tight. However, more recent information says that the base fee should have been less than three million euros. With bonuses, however, the sum should increase to around five million euros.