Bundesliga 2 - Cup dreams at Hertha? "Only the game against HSV counts"
This season's favorable starting position for reaching the DFB Cup final plays no role for second-division club Hertha BSC ahead of the round of 16 against Hamburger SV. "I've been here for almost 30 years, I've stopped dreaming. We're just working as hard as we can and don't want to promise anything," said coach Pal Dardai ahead of the game at Berlin's Olympiastadion on Wednesday evening (8.45pm/Sky).
Sporting director Benjamin Weber told the Deutsche Presse-Agentur: "We're not thinking that far ahead. All that matters to us is the game against HSV." Weber emphasized: "First and foremost, we're happy that we have a home game and probably in front of around 55,000 spectators. That alone, a floodlit game and the chance to stay in the cup for the winter, is a great incentive!"
There are currently only six first division teams left in the cup, with defending champions RB Leipzig and record winners Bayern Munich out. Hertha fans in Berlin have long dreamed of their professional team making it to the final at their home Olympic Stadium. The Berliners' amateur team made it in 1993, but then lost 1:0 to Bayer Leverkusen. The professionals last reached the semi-finals in 2016, but never the final since it has been played in the capital every year since 1985.
A win against league rivals HSV would also be of great financial significance for the cash-strapped capital city club. "There's no question that advancing means additional income, which of course helps us in our financial situation," said Weber. The quarter-finals offer 1,724,800 euros. The four semi-finalists will receive 3,449,600 euros.
The Old Lady also has a sporting score to settle with HSV. "There will once again be a great crowd at the Olympiastadion and we want to show that we have developed as a team compared to the league game in August," said the 43-year-old Weber. Back then, the Berliners lost 3-0 to Hamburg in the league and Dardai now sees this as an important performance comparison for his team.
Hertha on Instagram Hertha BSC website Hertha on X Cup round HSV on X HSV website
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Source: www.stern.de
