Hoffenheim’s Andrej Kramaric scores against Hertha, and not just last season: the TSG striker scored a total of nine goals in twelve games against the Berliners Photo: Uwe Anspach/dpa
From BZ/dpa
Can the Berliners manage their first win of the season in the Olympic Stadium in the fourth attempt? The opponent comes with a good record. And in the environment of Hertha – once again – there is no peace.
The game is overshadowed even before kick-off. There is Zoff in the background. Investor Lars Windhorst defends himself against the actions of the new club management after publications about an alleged campaign commissioned by the financier against the former club boss.
In terms of sport, the Berlin Bundesliga team is hoping for their first home win of the season on Sunday (3:30 p.m. / DAZN).
Head coach Sandro Schwarz wants the first home win of the season Photo: Andreas Gora/dpa
Situation: Hertha have taken six points from the previous seven games of the season in the league. At home, the team coached by Sandro Schwarz, who was hired in the summer, has not yet managed to win. But the trend is not bad. Hertha BSC has been unbeaten for three games, after the first win of the season with a 2-0 win in Augsburg, two draws followed – 2-2 at home against Leverkusen and 1-1 in Mainz. Opponent Hoffenheim won four of the previous seven games.
Home record still negative
Statistics: Hertha can equalize its home record against TSG: So far there have been four wins and five defeats from a Berlin perspective. Three matches ended in a draw.
Staff: At Hoffenheim everyone is fit except for the permanently injured Hübner, Bicakcic and Bebou. Rudy is fit for action with a splint after a metacarpal fracture. Hertha trainer Schwarz has to do without Boetius after testicular cancer surgery and Gechter after tonsillectomy and Maolida (infection).
Specialty I: Hoffenheim coach Breitenreiter celebrates his 49th birthday on Sunday.
Feature II: Hoffenheim’s Andrej Kramaric is about to play his 200th Bundesliga game for TSG. And against no other team did he score so often: The 31-year-old Croatian scored nine goals in twelve league games against the Berliners.
Citation: “We have our fourth home game against Hoffenheim, so we want to give our fans a present.” (Hertha goalkeeper Oliver Christensen)