Hertha Berlin host Bochum on Saturday knowing that anything less than a win will condemn them to relegation from the Bundesliga (kick-off: 3.30pm CEST).
>> Click here for the Hertha vs. Bochum LIVE blog!
The time for strategising is over for borrom side Hertha. With relegation to Bundesliga 2 staring them in the face, they simply have to find a way to take three points when Bochum visit the Olympiastadion. Even that might not be enough to save them as the season enters crunch time: wins for both VfB Stuttgart and Schalke over Bayer Leverkusen and Eintracht Frankfurt respectively would be enough to send them down regardless. Pal Dardai admitted defensive weaknesses cost them dearly in a 5-2 loss at Cologne last Friday, but it remains to be seen whether he shuffles the pack at the back or entrusts his defence to rise to the occasion this time. Filip Uremovic won’t start against Bochum after suffering concussion early in the Cologne defeat, so Agustin Rogel may replace him. Uremovic’s central defensive partner Marc-Oliver Kempf was a doubt in midweek due to bruised ribs. The suspension of Jessic Ngankam reduces Dardai’s options further forward for the must-win clash.
Bochum are equally eager for points when they travel to the German capital. Thomas Letsch’s side are on the right side of the table’s relegation lines, however, and a win could see them ensure their safety, if other results also go their way. On the flip side, defeat, coupled with the wrong combination of results elsewhere, could land them in the bottom two ahead of a final-day home game against top-six candidates Leverkusen. Danilo Soares and Cristian Gamboa could be in contention for starts at full-back again after the pair missed last week’s 3-2 win over fellow strugglers Augsburg. Howeber, given the vital victory secured in their absence, Saidy Janko and Dominique Heintz may well retain their places in the starting line-up. Left-back Konstantinos Stafylidis and midfielder Patrick Osterhage are doubts, but young forward Moritz Broschinski is definitely out.
Watch: Bochum won a thrilling relegation six-pointer against Augsburg
- Dodi Lukebakio, who has a team-leading 11 Bundesliga goals in 2022/23, is poised to make his 100th competitive appearance in a Hertha shirt.
- Hertha have recorded five of their six wins and recorded 20 of their 25 points this season on home soil.
- The Old Lady are unbeaten in their last 13 competitive home games against Bochum (W7, D6).
- Philipp Hofmann is Bochum’s eight-goal top scorer this season. He scored his first Bundesliga brace in the reverse fixture (a 3-1 win).
- With his goal against Augsburg, Anthony Losilla became the current Bundesliga season’s oldest scorer, aged 37 years and 64 days.
- Bochum, who have only won one of their last eight away games (1-0 vs. Augsburg), have picked up just eight points on the road this season. Only Hertha have fared worse on their travels (five points).
>>> Get Takuma Asano for your Fantasy team for 6.1M!
Hertha: Christensen – Kenny, Rogel, Kempf, Plattenhardt (c) – Tousart, Dardai – Lukebakio, Niederlechner, Richter – Jovetic
Out: Jarstein (not considered), Ngankam (suspended), Nsona (knee), Sunjic (not considered), Uremovic (concussion)
Doubtful: Cigerci (calf), Kempf (ribs)
Coach: Pal Dardai
Bochum: Riemann – Janko, Ordets, Masovic, Soares – Losilla (c), Stöger – Asano, Förster, Antwi-Adjei – Hofmann
Out: Broschinski (tonsilitis)
Doubtful: Osterhage (muscular), Stafylidis (shoulder)
Coach: Thomas Letsch
>>> Have a go at predicting the weekend’s results!