The tension is rising – and so is the tension. In the round of 16 of the cup against 1. FC Union, Hertha BSC has the chance to regain the football reputation it lost recently. Manager Fredi Bobic evokes the derby character.
Loud Union chants in the Olympic Stadium? And like the last time the guest performance in Köpenick was quite quiet Hertha supporters? According to Tayfun Korkut, there can be such a derby shame on Wednesday evening (8:45 p.m./ in the BZ live ticker) to not give. “I don’t think that will be allowed by our fans in our stadium. I’m very sure of that.”
Hertha manager Fredi Bobic sounds as if he would like to play himself: “Actually, the coach shouldn’t have to say anything. They should actually be running out with knives between their teeth,” said the 50-year-old, who won the DFB Cup with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2018.
Even if the universally admired football upstart Union has outstripped the traditional West club as number one in the capital, the Irons have not won in the Olympic Stadium since their promotion in 2019. “You have to tackle it with your heart because it’s a great competition,” demands Bobic. And made it clear: “You mustn’t be afraid.”
Of course, the manager hasn’t forgotten the humiliating 2-0 loss in November in the sold-out stadium at the Alte Försterei. At that time it seemed that one “felt without a chance”.
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Hertha will continue to miss top striker Stevan Jovetic. The Montenegro international is not yet ready to play after suffering a calf injury. Whether right-back Peter Pekarik can play after his corona infection was still open on Monday. On the other hand, Hertha can rely on Suat Serdar and Kevin-Prince Boateng, who were suspended in the league against VfL Wolfsburg (0-0).
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