By Roberto Lamprecht
Second division Hertha is in the cup round of 16 after beating Mainz 3-0 and is receiving a bonus of 862,400 euros from the DFB.
Exciting with a view to the next rounds: After the elimination in the second round by record cup winners Bayern, defending champions Leipzig, local rivals Union, Freiburg, Cologne, Heidenheim, Hoffenheim and Mainz, only six Bundesliga teams are still in the round of 16.
The last time this happened was 31 years ago. Back then, Hertha’s amateurs made it to the cup final against Leverkusen (0-1 with a goal from Ulf Kirsten). A good omen?
Hertha’s professionals have so far dreamed in vain of reaching the cup final, which has been held in Berlin since 1985, in their home Olympic Stadium. Now the chance – with a little luck – is greater than it has been for decades.
Hertha goalkeeper Tjark Ernst sums it up: “The fans here always dream big, it’s about reaching the cup final in their own stadium. The possibility is there. Now we wait and see what happens on Sunday. As an athlete, you always strive for the maximum, the greatest possible success. The cup is the competition where it takes the fewest games to win a title. You can dream.”
Haris Tabakovic, Fabian Reese, Florian Niederlechner and Marten Winkler (from left to right) celebrate the cup success Photo: City-Press GbR
“The shortest way to get titles!”
Big words! It is now the first time that you can feel something like euphoria at Hertha after the bitter relegation from the 2022/23 Bundesliga.
The 3-0 cup win against Mainz could be something of a sporting breakthrough – maybe even to the cup final?
Hertha’s sports director Benjamin Weber (43) after reaching the round of 16: “That was the best performance of the season for me. That was a first-class team performance. This gives us a huge push! It was fun to see how everyone attacked and defended together. We progressed one round with a very concentrated performance. Who do we want as our next cup opponents? Definitely a home game!”
Then things can go far. Also because Hertha has learned from the mistakes of the last few weeks and months. After the 3-1 defeat in Nuremberg, coach Pal Dardai (47) aptly criticized: “At least eight players were not in normal form. You can’t even get a point like that in the second division.”
What followed was a tough analysis and discussion with the team. The reaction: First the 3-1 in the 2nd league against Paderborn and now the confident 3-0 in the cup against Bundesliga club Mainz.
Now Hertha’s head coach is celebrating, saying: “This time all eleven were in good form on the day, that’s praise for our fitness trainers, all players were in top shape. We remained active and aggressive throughout the game, played a very disciplined midfield press against the ball and then recovered when we had possession of the ball.”
Dardai continues: “The most beautiful thing is the zero at the back. In the last one or two years I have never seen Hertha so compact. This is my football. Tight pressing in midfield and everyone working together. This is the most important thing for the future! But now we have to win the league in Rostock first. We have goals until Christmas.”
By then, Hertha wants to get closer to the top trio in the league and also survive the cup round of 16 (December 5th/6th). You can dream – about promotion and the cup final in your own stadium…