Missing vaccination status – Hertha without a captain in the training camp
Marvin Plattenhardt did not travel to the USA with Hertha because he is not vaccinated against Corona
Source: dpa/Tom Weller
Hertha BSC is threatened with relegation in the new year. The foundation stone for staying up in the league is to be laid in the training camp. But Captain Marvin Plattenhardt was not allowed to make the journey. In general, the club will soon no longer be planning with him.
Et are important days for Hertha BSC and Sandro Schwarz. The coach is currently preparing the Berliners in the USA for the last three games of the first half of the season and the second half of the season. His mission is clear: Black must keep the Hertha team, who are only in front of the relegation zone because of the better goal difference, in the Bundesliga. He has to do without one of his most important players in the training camp. Marvin Plattenhardt did not travel to the USA because he was not vaccinated against Corona. Because of his lack of vaccination status, the captain stayed in Berlin and keeps fit with the U23.
“We discussed the issue beforehand. This is not a problem for us. We take it as it is and will make the best of it. Platte will train with the U23s and join us again when we return,” said Schwarz before leaving for Orlando.
With a total of 28 players, including four goalkeepers, the Berliners are guests at the camp at the IMG Academy in Bradenton near Tampa until January 14th. During this period, four friendlies are scheduled. “We’re looking forward to the training camp and want to take the opportunity to work intensively on key areas: This includes precision in the offensive game,” said Schwarz.
The work will take place without Plattenhardt. The left-back plays an important role in Berlin’s offensive game on the wing with his crosses and sharply shot free-kicks. “Of course it would have been better if he had been here, but you should respect his decision,” said Schwarz.
Plattenhardt then has a week to prepare with the team for the most important away game in Bochum on January 21 and to recommend himself for the starting XI and for a new club. Because the 30-year-old will have to leave Berlin at the end of the season, Hertha will not extend Plattenhardt’s contract.
“The contract expires in the summer, that has been decided and clearly discussed with the player and his advisors,” said Hertha’s managing director Fredi Bobic of the “Bild” newspaper. The missing corona vaccination and the associated missing of the training camp have nothing to do with the fact that Plattenhardt’s contract is not extended. According to Bobic, the seven-time national player, who moved from 1. FC Nürnberg to Berlin in 2014, already knew beforehand that he would have to look for a new club after this season.
Four up-and-coming players are traveling to Florida
Equally clear is the competition on the left-back position is not decided before the start of the season. “It changes zero. With Platte, Maximilian Mittelstädt and Lukas Ullrich we have three players in this position, one will play against VfL Bochum,” Schwarz is annoyed at the discussions about his captain: “Five days of wild speculation, that’s too wild.”
The coach gives several youngsters the chance to show themselves at the training camp in Florida: 18-year-old Julian Eitschberger and Lukas Ullrich, as well as Pascal Klemens, who is a year younger, in defense and Ensar Aksakal in attack. The 21-year-old signed his first professional contract just a month ago.
Professional goalkeepers Oliver Christensen and Tjark Ernst will be joined by 19-year-old Leon Cuk and 17-year-old goalkeeper Tim Goller as goalkeeper number three Robert Kwasigroch continues to struggle with a knee injury.
