Opposition Check: Hertha BSC

Around the turn of the millennium, Hertha was regularly in the absolute top group of the Bundesliga and qualified for the international cup competitions with great regularity. It was all the more surprising that they were relegated at the bottom of the table in the 2009/10 season, after finishing the season in fourth place the previous year. This was followed by direct promotion and another relegation, which in turn was eradicated by a direct return to the Bundesliga, before the “Old Lady” was able to stay in the upper house of football for ten years in a row. In 2023, the club from the capital had to move to the second division and is currently playing in this league for the second season in a row. Before the current season, Hertha made some changes to the squad, so we’ll take a closer look at our upcoming opponents before the duel.

„Evening game, full house, an amazing experience. The size and charisma of this club are well known. Now I’m head coach of this club – without words. I’m very happy about it,“ said Christian Fiél in a club interview before the season. The 44-year-old impressed his superiors by his playing philosophy. The offensive style that the new man has demonstrated since taking office in the summer is intended to lead Hertha back into the German upper house. Managing director Thomas E. Herrich was pleased that Hertha had achieved their goal in Fiél. „Preferred Candidate“ as Pal Daradai’s successor.

Fiél previously worked closely with Dieter Hecking at 1. FC Nürnberg and ultimately took on the role of head coach at FCN in the 2023/24 season. The trainer with Spanish roots gained his first experience after his playing career at SG Dynamo Dresden in the youth sector and trained the professional team there between 2018 and 2019.

What may have taken some getting used to for many Hertha fans was the fact that Fiél, an ex-Union player, took over the position of head coach at their favorite club. The coach, who comes from Essingen, had a very successful year in 2001, both nationally and internationally, in the red and white jerseys in the stadium at the Alte Försterei. Shortly afterwards, due to his strong individual performance this season, he moved from Köpenick to VfL Bochum. Despite the short stay in Berlin, the trainer raves about “a time that I will never forget and don’t want to miss.” At Hertha, the coach is now hoping for another successful time in the capital, crowned at best by a promotion the Bundesliga.

The away strength. In football we often talk about the famous home advantage or the luck of being able to play at home. All of this is less true at Hertha this season. The Berliners collected six points in as many appearances in their own stadium, while eleven points were already scored in five matches on a foreign pitch. The Lilies now have the opportunity to inflict the first away defeat of the current round on the “Old Lady”.

Diego Costa, Diego Simeone, Diego Forlán, Diego Ribas or even Diego Maradona. Many great players from South America share this first name. The latter in particular was crucial for a little boy from Herford to be named that way. Hertha player Diego Demme’s father named his son after the legendary Argentine. With this well-known first name, the path to becoming a professional footballer was already paved for the now 32-year-old. From Arminia Bielefeld’s youth ranks, the midfielder went to SC Paderborn before moving to Leipzig. The subsequent move in particular must have made his father proud, because Demme went abroad, or rather to no less a club than SSC Napoli, for whom Maradona had once laced up his football boots very successfully.

But the German-Italian is not only great on the football field, but also on the console. During his time in Leipzig he had a triple burden. In addition to the national and international competitions, the then 27-year-old also filled the squad in the e-sports department and competed in the Virtual Bundesliga. At his Playstation debut, the then head coach and current national coach Julian Nagelsmann even provided support and sat next to his former protégé. In the end, Demme had to admit defeat 0-2. “It was a great experience. It was fun,” said Demme after his first experience in the Virtual Bundesliga.