From BZ/dpa
One win is achieved, three are still to come if Hertha BSC wants to fulfill coach Pal Dardai’s relegation formula. On Friday, the bottom of the table will play at 1. FC Köln (8.30 p.m. / DAZN) at the start of the 32nd matchday.
Problems abroad: In order to leave the relegation zone, Hertha also has to score points away from home. But that is particularly difficult for the team this season. Only five points were won in foreign stadiums in 15 attempts (one win, two draws). Two of the last three games are away, in Cologne and Wolfsburg.
Lucas Tousart is the strongest runner from Hertha Photo: RONNY HARTMANN/AFP
Always on the move: With Ellyes Skhiri and Lucas Tousart the players in the league with the strongest runs in absolute values meet. The man from Cologne has covered 357.4 kilometers so far this season. At Tousart it is 352.9. Skhiri is also one of the professionals with the highest passing accuracy (89.76 percent).
Ex-Hertha striker Davie Selke. He scored twice in Cologne’s 2-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen Photo: picture alliance/dpa/Revierfoto
Berlin past I: It will be a special game for Cologne striker Davie Selke. He only moved from Hertha to the Rhine in winter and is still connected to the capital club and coach Dardai. The 28-year-old has been in good form lately, scoring three times in the last three games.
Although a Union legend, Cologne coach Steffen Baumgart wishes the Hertha team to stay up in the league Photo: dpa
Berlin past II: Also Cologne coach Stephen Baumgart, who recently extended his contract with FC, has a Berlin past, but not a blue-and-white one: he played for Hertha’s city rivals Union between 2002 and 2004. His wife also worked for the club, and the family still has an apartment in Köpenick.
Dangerous: According to data from Ligainsider, Cologne’s left winger Florian Kainz has already created 15 big chances this season – top value in the Bundesliga together with Mitchell Weiser from Werder Bremen. In total, he prepared eight goals. Also one of the best values.