Ahead of the home game against VfL Bochum, Hertha head coach Stefan Leitl spoke about the league table situation. In addition to suspended captain Fabian Reese, another talented player will also have to watch from the sidelines.
Coach Stefan Leitl’s goal of sixth place for Hertha BSC remains unchanged – the second division coach does not see any improvement in the table for the time being.
“If we can climb, we would like to climb. But we have to win three more games,” said Leitl, given the eight-point gap to the promotion places and ahead of Saturday’s home game against VfL Bochum (8:30 p.m./Sky), “so we should stay focused and win the games and get the points.”
However, given the players’ celebrations after the late 2-1 win at Preußen Münster, Leitl is not worried about a lack of motivation among his players. “When you see the celebrations, it speaks volumes about the spirit in the team,” said the 48-year-old. “We don’t need to do much thinking about that. The team is determined to win games.“
Against the Bundesliga relegation team, Leitl, who expects a ”very difficult game,” will have to replace captain Fabian Reese, who received his fifth yellow card in the 2-1 win at Preußen Münster. Match-winner Marten Winkler will therefore be given a place in the starting lineup. Leitl: “Uwe Rösler is doing a really good job there. His team has a clear structure, individual quality, and plays with a lot of emotion, which he himself exemplifies. They need points, so they will be tough to play against and will challenge us to the maximum.”
Boris Mamuzah Lum, who set up Winkler’s solo run in stoppage time in Münster, can also hope to make his first start of the season, as Kevin Sessa is injured.
For Leitl, Lum is an example of the young players from the academy who want to break into the professional squad: “Bobo has walked through the door,” said Leitl, “and I hope he takes the next steps to continue to show that he is a great talent.”
Pascal Klemens, on the other hand, remains on the sidelines. Leitl is waiting for the 21-year-old to decide whether to extend his contract or leave the club in the summer. Without a decision, Klemens, who is maintaining his playing rhythm in the regional league team, will not be given a place in the squad. “We don’t want to sideline him and have left the door wide open,” said Leitl. A decision would also be “a relief” for the player himself.