Getting Dizzying

By: Abby | May 15th, 2009

Two games left. Two games left, and things can still change completely. Even after tomorrow’s game who knows what will happen to us? It’s the crazy year for the Bundesliga.

In a normal year, the positions of ourselves and Schalke 04, tomorrow’s opponents, would be expected to be reversed. We’d be the ones in eighth with no shot at Europe and nothing to play for while they’d be hanging on to the last Champions League place and dreaming of a title that they would inevitably fail at achieving. But it’s not a normal year. And we’ve got a game against a Schalke with nothing to play for ahead of us in our quest for Euro glory/money.

Pundits and such think this should be easy for us- I’m not so sure. Even though they’ve lost three in a row and are aimless right now, they’re a solid, decent side of a type that cause us problems. They beat us without much fuss at the Veltins-Arena. They’re not a particularly inspired attacking side, which makes it difficult for us to use the counterattacks that have served us so well. It’s unlikely that it’ll be an easy game for us.

The team is likely to be unchanged from the team that beat Köln, which means that both Arne Friedrich and Andriy Voronin would be on the bench. That leaves us relying on a revived Marko Pantelic to score the goals to keep us in the hunt for Champions League, a title, and complete insanity.

Speaking of charming insanities, a little while ago our veteran Hungarian challenged Berlin, saying that if more than 55,000 came to the last 5 home games he would buy everyone a beer. Attendance figures proved that they took him up on it and he’s been true to his word- this Saturday, for the final home game of the season, everyone entering the stadium gets a free beer. Or soft drink. You know, for the kids.

The atmosphere should be cracking. The team has everything to play for. Cross your fingers, knock wood, whatever. And come on, Hertha!