Crucial home game against Cottbus
Hertha face a Bundesliga home game on Friday night (16.3.07, kick off 8.30 pm), which could be a pointer as to where they end up at the end of the season. The visitors to the Olympic stadium in Berlin are the East German side Energie Cottbus, who are teetering just a point above the dreaded drop zone and will want points from the match.
Skipperless Hertha
The Hertha coach Falko Götz is without his influential German international defender Arne Friedrich. The Hertha skipper gritted his teeth in order to play in the 1-3 away defeat in Gladbach last weekend. His knee infection worsened and he is expected to be out of action for three weeks. Fellow defender Sofian Chahed is also out of action.
Defensive duo return
On the good news side, Götz will be glad to welcome back his key defensive duo of Joe Simunic and Malik Fathi to the team after suspension, which will cushion the blow of losing Friedrich.
Room for improvement
Hertha is in something of a form crisis at the moment, having taken only one point from a possible fifteen in their last five Bundesliga games. They have 34 points at the moment and will probably need a further six to avoid the drop.
Yildi back?
Falko Götz is hoping that his Turkish midfield general Yildiray Bastürk will recover from a slight knee problem and make the Hertha starting line-up. Young defender Kevin Boateng could also start the game. Both players came on late in the Gladbach game. Hertha are hoping that the floodlight atmosphere on Friday night will boost the team who really need a victory to restore their UEFA Cup ambitions.
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