“We want to go to Berlin to win there”

For both teams, every point increases the likelihood that they can continue planning for the 2. Bundesliga. We are very vigilant and are keeping an eye on the overall situation. We want to go to Berlin to win there. Hertha also wants to continue their excellent run of three consecutive wins against us. I expect an attractive football game. Both teams will rely heavily on positional play and will want to defend actively. It will be tactically exciting. But I also expect a great game for the spectators with plenty of goal-scoring opportunities on both sides. The Olympic Stadium is one of the most beautiful stadiums in Germany. We are very much looking forward to it.

Fabian Reese is one of the difference-makers in the league – if not the difference-maker in the 2. Bundesliga. Hertha lost a lot when he was unable to play. However, Hertha cannot be reduced to just Reese at the moment. They have an incredibly good squad with exceptional players in all parts of the team, who have come together to form a solid collective under Stefan Leitl. I really appreciate Stefan for his work. He brought organisation and structure to the team. Under him, Hertha has stabilised extremely well after just one or two games. They have a clear idea of ​​how they want to attack and defend. Reese is an absolute fixture in their game. But we must prevent the players behind him – Maza is just as exceptional a player – from being able to set him up. We must address the cause and ensure that he doesn’t get too many balls. If he does get balls, we should do everything we can to avoid having a lot of depth behind us.

I am delighted that our long-time captain is staying on board. This is very good news for the team, the club, and the fans. As sporting management, we want to set modern and new standards in our squad planning; last summer, with new signings, some from abroad, demonstrated this. At the same time, Fabi Holland’s contract extension is a clear sign that we know how important identification is for Darmstadt 98 as a location. We are very happy that we can continue to have a role model with an outstanding character and personality with us. In our positive discussions with him, we sensed that he is still very enthusiastic. He has had a difficult year, and we hope that he will quickly fight his way back.