Hertha BSC is three points ahead of VfB Stuttgart in the table, staying up is in their own hands. But the Swabians sense their chance after the strong draw with the champions from Munich. Berlin coach Felix Magath is actually nervous.
Felix Magath has seen it all in his 502 Bundesliga games as head coach. And yet the upcoming relegation showdown in Dortmund brings the experienced coach of Hertha BSC a little upset. “I’ll hardly sleep the night before the game,” revealed Magath. He knows: His team has a lot to lose on Saturday (3.30 p.m. / Sky and in the ntv.de live ticker), after two match balls have been awarded, the Berliners are worried about staying in the Bundesliga.
The Hertha team have it in their own hands. One point is enough for relegation. “I see a reason for hope because we have stabilized. We have achieved the minimum goal – now we want to achieve the maximum goal,” said Magath on Thursday. He was “slightly tense and nervous”, but he was before every game, the 68-year-old assured.
The Berliners take a three-point lead over VfB Stuttgart into the season finale, but the goal difference speaks for the Swabians. For sports director Fredi Bobic, however, “no more incendiary speech” is needed to swear in the players. “Everyone knows what it’s about. It’s now about exuding confidence and self-confidence,” said Bobic.
But the people of Stuttgart also exude confidence. The Swabians sense their chance, have the momentum on their side after the strong 2-2 win at champions Bayern Munich and a home game against 1. FC Köln in front of them. “In Munich we showed that we can deal with pressure. We want to do everything we can and give everything. The boys are hot,” said coach Pellegrino Matarazzo. “Together with the fans we will let the kettle burn,” announced sporting director Sven Mislintat.
CEO Alexander Wehrle also firmly believes in staying up. “We were in a much worse position,” said Wehrle, who joined VfB in March after nine years as managing director at Cologne. “I’m only with VfB with my head,” assured the 47-year-old, who also sees “no punishment” in the relegation.
But it shouldn’t come to that, VfB wants to grasp its little straw. The championship jersey from the 1991/92 season, which the Swabians put on as a lucky charm, should also help. “The jersey ties in with the spirit of 1992, which should inspire us,” said Wehrle.
It is not to be expected that the Swabians will have to look seriously in the rear-view mirror. With three points and seven goals behind VfB, Arminia Bielefeld needs nothing less than a miracle against RB Leipzig to avert eighth Bundesliga relegation. “Don’t let it get you down, we’ll get up again together,” Arminia comforted her fans during the week.
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