“We were really honest with each other”

At the start of this season, Hertha were more successful on the road. However, in a relegation battle, a side often needs to be really strong at home. Thankfully, the ‘Old Lady’ have picked up at home in recent times, beating both Augsburg and Leverkusen in their last two home games. Another win over Borussia Mönchengladbach on Saturday (15:30 CEST) would mark the first time the club has won three home matches on the bounce since the start of 2018/19. Nevertheless, everyone in the blue and white camp is well aware that the ‘Foals’ will be a tricky opponent. “We’ve looked at different moments for our defence and attack. We were really honest with each other. Clear, open discussions are important, now we just have to do what we’ve spoken about,” summed up Pál Dárdai at the pre-match press conference on Thursday. “Every game for us is like a final, because every point is important to us. We want to win every game!”

Goalkeeping coach role filled

Arne Friedrich also discussed various topics at the press conference, including the role of goalkeeping coach. “Our first choice was Gábor Király, however we weren’t able to get him. He took a lot of time to consider it but had to decline the offer due to personal reasons,” reported the sporting director. “Instead, Ilja Hofstädt will move up from the U19s and lead goalkeeping training until the end of the season. We’re happy to have a great guy like him at the club and we’ve got full confidence in Ilja!”