What’s going on at Hertha BSC? Everything about it here in the blog.
Final whistle in the amateur stadium. The Hertha BSC U19s are in the final of the German championship for the first time since 2018. After the 3-1 win in the first leg, she also won the second leg against FC Augsburg. The team of coach Oliver Hartmann, who will switch to the youth department of FC Bayern Munich after the season, won 2-0 (1-0) in front of 1276 spectators in the amateur stadium on the Olympic grounds.
The matter developed in the desired direction for Hertha early on. Teoman Gündüz, the only newcomer in the starting line-up for Berlin, scored the 1-0 after just 105 seconds. Even after the break, Hertha got off to a flying start. Striker Tony Rölke made it 2-0 after a close-range free kick (48th minute). The outstanding Augsburg goalkeeper Marcel Lubik, who had prevented a higher deficit with a few saves, had no chance to defend himself.
In the final on May 29 (1 p.m., again in the amateur stadium), Hertha will meet the winner of the game Borussia Dortmund versus FC Schalke 04 (Sunday). In all probability it will be BVB, who won the first leg in Gelsenkirchen 5-1.
Felix Magath sees major deficits at Hertha BSC. “The club has to be completely overhauled,” said the coach of the Berlin Bundesliga team on Wednesday at an event organized by the Berliner Verlag.
Magath himself hopes to do his part, at least in sporting terms, and prevent relegation to the second division. With a draw or a win at Borussia Dortmund on the last day of the season (Saturday, 3.30 p.m.) this goal would be achieved – and Magath’s mission would be over. “I feel very comfortable in Berlin. But it is clearly discussed that it is only about this season. Hopefully this job will be finished on Saturday,” said the 68-year-old, who has been in office since mid-March.
Magath has stated several times that the task at Hertha is the most complicated of his entire coaching career. “This team wasn’t a team,” said Hertha’s coach. “We have two or three very good foreign players in the squad, but they haven’t put down roots in Berlin yet. Then we have two or three good German players who are happy to be here, but still need to improve in quality.”
The turnaround would not have been possible without Kevin-Prince Boateng, 35 years old and more likely to be found on the bench than on the pitch under Magath’s predecessors Pal Dardai and Tayfun Korkut. “He’s the only one who is accepted by everyone,” said Magath. “With his presence, he helped make the team a unit.”
That’s it in Augsburg. Hertha BSC has secured a brilliant starting position for reaching the final of the German U-19 championship. With two goals from Tony Rölke and another goal from Anton Kade, coach Michael Hartmann’s team deservedly won 3-1 and inflicted the first defeat on Augsburg’s U19s since February.
The second leg will take place on Saturday next week in the amateur stadium. In the final, the Berliners would also have home rights. FC Schalke 04 and Borussia Dortmund determine the opponent.
