Lucas Tousart started to lurch. Cleated shoes on icy asphalt. But the Frenchman kept his balance, struggled and reached the Hertha BSC training ground unharmed and without an accident.
As on a small scale, it should also work on a large scale for the Berlin Bundesliga soccer club. The team has been reeling and tumbling in recent weeks, and many now consider the crash, i.e. the next descent, to be inevitable. Hertha played four games this year, all four were lost.
But maybe Hertha can still pull herself together. The upcoming home game against Borussia Mönchengladbach (Sunday, 3.30 p.m.) may be of decisive importance for the company’s success in relegation – before Hertha goes to Dortmund, who are currently in good form, in the following week.
The Gladbachers were only able to convince to a limited extent this year. Last weekend they drew 0-0 against bottom-placed Schalke 04 in their own stadium and put in a poor performance, especially in terms of football.
Plattenhardt was absent from training
For Tolga Cigerci, Hertha’s last signing of the winter, the duel in the Olympic Stadium is also a reunion with one of his former clubs. From January 2012 to June 2013, the midfielder played 20 competitive games for Gladbach on loan. According to the current status, nothing stands in the way of a meeting on the lawn.
Cigerci, who made his comeback for Hertha last Saturday in the 3-0 defeat at Eintracht Frankfurt, had to stop training the following day due to slight shoulder problems. On Tuesday, at the start of the new training week, he was back and completed the entire program with the team.
In addition to Kelian Nsona, Chidera Ejuke, Agustin Rogel, Stevan Jovetic and Peter Pekarik, who had been injured for some time, Wilfried Kanga and Marvin Plattenhardt were also absent. Kanga had already missed the game in Frankfurt with a toe injury but should be available again against Gladbach. According to the club, captain Plattenhardt trained individually.
The first session of the week lasted a little over 75 minutes. Coach Sandro Schwarz mainly let his team play and score goals. “Bap! bap! Come right in!” he demanded. “Get security.”
Judging by the impressions from training, there are some indications that Schwarz will let his team play with a back three against Gladbach, as was the case against Eintracht Frankfurt in the second half. Marvin Plattenhardt, who had occupied the position of left central defender, was replaced by Marton Dardai.
Source: Tagesspiegel
Brayden White, a veteran sports writer at Global Happening, brings his wealth of knowledge and expertise to the sports section. With over a decade of experience, he is committed to delivering high-quality coverage of the latest games and events.
