“Now is the time to get down to business"

Ready for Braunschweig! Hertha have almost completed pre-season. Six weeks of hard work lie behind Sandro Schwarz’s men. Now it is about implementing all the work done during pre-season on the pitch. After their final training session at the fan festival on Saturday, the team is hoping to start as they mean to go on during their DFB-Pokal clash against Eintracht Braunschweig a day later (31.07.22, 18:01 CEST). “It is our aspiration for the whole club and for our fans that we start well. The anticipation is there after pre-season that now is the time to get down to business with the cup game in Braunschweig,” said the head coach, looking forward to the away game at the second-division side. Fredi Bobic further highlighted the importance of the competition to the team: “The hardest step in the DFB-Pokal is always the first. It is not an easy tournament, but it is a brilliant one,” said Hertha’s Managing director for sport on Friday. Herthabsc.com noted the key points from the press conference. Schwarz and Bobic commented on:

Sandro Schwarz: We want to put forward a really good performance and justify our role as favourites. It is our aspiration for the whole club and for our fans that we start well. The anticipation is there after pre-season that now is the time to get down to business with the cup game in Braunschweig.

Sandro Schwarz: We can’t let ourselves be led by their results in the 2. Bundesliga and instead need to consider them analytically. We are expecting a team that counters well and plays well on the break. As a result we have to be very concentrated in leaving enough players back to deal with opposition attacks. We want to show a high intensity and readiness to compete on the pitch and show the difference between us and a second-division side using our quality and our pace.

Fredi Bobic: The hardest step in the DFB-Pokal is always the first. I love this competition. In both of my wins in the Pokal, both as a player and behind the scenes, we only got through the first round on penalties. It is not an easy tournament, but it is a brilliant one. The further you get, the more you dream of playing in a cup final. We should all follow this dream, I wouldn't be against it finally coming true. We have to look at every game as a final and show that we want to progress into the next round.

Sandro Schwarz: Only a few games as a club generate such a special atmosphere – that’s the magic of the DFB-Pokal. We want to start successfully, that is our aim. The game in Braunschweig is the first step. With the performances and commitment that we have built up in the six weeks, we want to be successful. We know that what we have worked on is what we need to show on the pitch in our first competitive game.

Sandro Schwarz: From the first day my team has been very active and very hardworking. The boys have really made an effort to implement the style of play that we want to see. We have to be ready to compete from the first minute to the last and to show a clear structure and mindset. I have seen this in isolation but we also need to be able to demonstrate it under match conditions. I see us growing as a group. Braunschweig will be a test for us as a Bundesliga side to go there and perform with self-confidence and passion.

Fredi Bobic: It is beautiful that we can finally put on events again and that as a club, working together with the fans, we have succeeded in putting on such an event. We want to celebrate together as a club. That is why looking after tradition is so important and we value it so much. It is good for the community and we are looking forward to a great day. For the fans the open training session is obviously a highlight. We want to put on a show for our members and fans.