Staying positive

The team will carry on working hard and sweating up to and including Thursday. With the team chomping at the bit to get back to Schenckendorffplatz, every cloud has a silver lining: three players didn't even have to isolate. Injured trio Dedryck Boyata, Luca Netz and Eduard Löwen have been unable to help the team on the pitch in their fight against relegation. However, since the three were not in contact with their teammates at the time of the Coronavirus outbreak, the players were not forced to enter quarantine.

Special training plans for trio

But how do the three players work on their comeback with the rest of the team and staff unable to attend the training ground? An important contact person is and remains Hendrik Vieth - even if he can only assist digitally for the time being. The fitness coach, whose focus during the season is on rehabilitation in individual or small group training, is co-ordinating and overseeing the rehab training of the trio of Boyata, Netz and Löwen. "Even though I unfortunately can't work with the guys myself right now, I put together the training plans for them. Fortunately, we are in a good position, the drills on the training ground with Dedryck and Eduard are lead by fitness coaches from the academy. Luca works with our cooperation partner DaVinci. Currently, our physiotherapists and Michael Becker are monitoring his development," explains the 37-year-old, who has been with the club since 2010, moving from the youth team to the first team in February 2015. "I'm being treated, and I'm also doing exercises there, for example for my back, abs and arms. I'm also already cycling again," says Netz on his sessions at the sports and physiotherapy centre.

Unlike captain Boyata and midfielder Löwen, who have overcome their muscle injuries, the youngster will not be back in action this season. The Hertha youth product, who made his professional debut this season and went on to make eleven appearances, scoring in the 1-1 draw at Stuttgart, broke his metatarsal at the end of March. The 17-year-old has since undergone surgery and is making small steps back. "The foot looks good and already feels pretty good again. I think we can increase the load bit by bit and I can get on the treadmill next," said Netz, who turns 18 on 15th May. The left-back's optimism is clear. "When the diagnosis was there, at first I was just sad because I had been feeling really good and we were in a very important situation as a team. But after a day or two, I just started to focus on coming back as best as I can," said the number 32. "The club is behind me, which is a good feeling."

Support for the team

Confidence and self-belief will also be key for Löwen, Boyata and Netz's teammates in the for the season's run-in. The team face six games in 20 days as they look to achieve the goal of staying in the Bundesliga. "I would have liked to help the team on the pitch, of course, but I have to try and support the team in other ways. If possible, I will cheer from the stands. I'm convinced that they'll manage it," says Netz, who would then see the end of the season in a positive light despite the premature ending.