The recipe that worked against one Borussia should also ignite against the other on Sunday. In the away game in Dortmund, Hertha BSC again relies on the back three – and on intensity.
Tolga Cigerci has risen to become Hertha’s midfield boss.
IMAGO/Photo mode
In the matchday press conference on Friday, Sandro Schwarz left no doubt that he will stick to the basic tactical order that has been tried and tested for three halves. “The way the three-man chain harmonized in the last game was very good,” said Hertha’s coach, “logically that’s also the option for Sunday,” the first.
Hertha’s recent performances in 3-5-2 have been promising. The second half in Frankfurt (0:3), before which Schwarz switched from 4-3-3 to 3-5-2, brought Hertha a significant increase in stability and structure, even if this was not reflected in the result. The 4-1 win against Borussia Mönchengladbach last Sunday turned out to be the longed-for liberation from Berlin’s point of view, and in addition to the substantive parameters – 122 kilometers of team mileage and 230 sprints – the tactical framework also fitted.
“The system played us into the cards”
“The coaches decided on this system and we implemented it well,” said midfielder Tolga Cigerci after the first win in 2023. Marco Richter, who works the entire right lane in the new basic order, said: “The system played into our hands.”
That’s why it stays that way for now. Hertha wants to take the good feeling from the Gladbach game with them to the undoubtedly demanding business trip to Dortmund. “It’s important for us that we send the same signals as we did against Mönchengladbach,” explained Schwarz. “We need intensity, activity and physique on the pitch.” Schwarz and his team want to counter the opponent’s top form and their individual quality with “high readiness” and “close distances”, “we have to defend very well collectively, protect each other well in duels and still remain courageous – we had against Gladbach many crosses and a very good box line-up, and we also need offensive spirit in Dortmund.” In the first leg at the end of August (0:1), the Berliners sniffed the draw, in the second leg they want to get something countable.
Winter access Cigerci will play a central role in this. The Turkish national player, who returned to Hertha BSC at the end of January after six and a half years in Turkey (Galatasaray, Fenerbahce, Basaksehir, Ankaragücü), has become the new midfield boss in just three halves with his strategic talent, his ball security and his communicative manner swung up. “Tolga did very well against Mönchengladbach,” said Schwarz on Friday. “He also makes a very good impression in training. He’s a player with a very high sense of responsibility. It’s an absolute win for us as a group to have someone like that.”
As in the past, Schwarz will have to do without Chidera Ejuke, Kelian Nsona (both in advanced training), Stevan Jovetic, Wilfried Kanga and Peter Pekarik (all in individual training) in Dortmund. Agustin Rogel, who injured his left knee during training on January 25, returned to team training on Thursday. It is still open whether the Uruguayan central defender will be part of the matchday squad in Dortmund. “We have to see how he looks today and tomorrow and how we fill the squad,” said Schwarz.
Against Gladbach he had called up U-19 captain Pascal Klemens (17) to the squad as a backup for the back three formed on the field, which consisted of Filip Uremovic, Marc Kempf and Marton Dardai.
