Away game in Berlin
“Awesome football city”: BTSV coach with a special return
11/21/2025 – 12:04 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
Heiner Backhaus is back in Berlin: The coach of Eintracht Braunschweig was once active here as a player and coach. He speaks highly of the capital.
Heiner Backhaus was there before the second division game Hertha BSC on Friday evening (kick-off: 6:30 p.m., you can watch it live here) praised the Berlin football landscape in the highest tones. The coach of Eintracht Braunschweig described the capital as an “awesome football city” at the press conference for the game.
The 43-year-old coach, who Berlin still known as a Union player and as coach of BFC Dynamo, particularly highlighted the wealth of talent. “What opportunities there are in this city: just the raw material of talent, how many super players there are,” he said. “You don’t need to scout all over Germany. You can basically collect three tram lines and they can all kick. I just think it’s crazy how much talent there is in this city. You can only be jealous. We don’t have that in Braunschweig.”
Backhaus spoke of an “extreme competitive advantage” for the Berlin clubs. The former Union player does not feel a personal rivalry with Hertha. “Union and Hertha were friends during the GDR era,” he explained. “If you’re honest, Hertha is already an institution.”
Nevertheless, Eintracht is hoping against the current eighth-placed team 2nd Bundesliga on Friday for something countable for his new club, which he has been coaching since last summer. After three defeats in a row, Braunschweig recently fell to 16th place in relegation.
In Berlin he is particularly hoping for the support of the fans. Around 4,000 people from Braunschweig made their way to the capital. “The response from the fans is incredible,” said Backhaus. “4,000 fans in Berlin in the evening are a force.”
He doesn’t want to disappoint the BTSV supporters. “We want to play a game that makes our fellow travelers happy and we’re really looking forward to seeing this as an opportunity,” explained Backhaus. “You can win a lot of credit in a game like this and so it’s a chance for redemption.”