The “Home” Game

After a bye last week, Hertha’s back into European competition tomorrow. The UEFA Cup beckons and tomorrow is probably the biggest game of all of ours- the visit of Turkish giants Galatasaray.

It’s a big game because, of course, there’s a massive Turkish population in Berlin (as there is in most major German cities). So playing a Turkish team as big as Galatasaray is a big deal. This is, supposedly, one of our home games, but it’s clear to everyone that they’re going to have just as many, if not more, fans at the Olympiastadion as we are. Loads of tickets have already been sold. This is just as much of a home game for us as it is for them.

They’ve even got some Berlin-born players on the team- team captain Ümit Karan started with Türkiyemspor Berlin, and Turkish international defender Hakan Balta even started his career at Hertha. In fact, a lot of the Galatasaray players have German connections, with no less than seven born in Germany (including a couple of German youth internationals), ex-Stuttgart captain Fernando Meira, and ex-Schalke playmaker Lincoln. Also, their manager, Michael Skibbe, an ex-Schalke player who was once the youngest head coach ever in the Bundesliga at 32 (of Borussia Dortmund), and was sacked last year after Bayer Leverkusen ended up seventh.

So yes, they know Germany. They’ve even played us before- in the 1999/2000 Champions League, with a draw in Istanbul before a 4-1 Galatasary win in Berlin. Both games we went ahead, before Galatasaray came back to draw or win. But that was a long time ago, wasn’t it?

Recent form is decent, although perhaps not what fans expect from the winningest team in Turkish history, and last year’s champions to boot. (Yes, they’re in the UEFA Cup after being edged from the Champions League by Steaua Bucureşti.) Fourth in the league, with a few bad losses behind them. In the UEFA Cup they have six points, which is normally enough to qualify for the next stage, but last week’s lost to Metalist Kharkiv has them on edge.

This is, as I said when it was made, a very tough group. At the moment we’re fourth, with two points from two draws. We’ve got to start winning if we want to make it through, and tomorrow is a good chance. Probably easier than the next game, an away game at Olympiakos. Galatasaray, Olympiakos and Benfica are both teams that are more used to playing in the Champions League than in this part of the UEFA Cup, and Kharkiv are no slouches. We’ve still got a chance, thanks to not losing, but we’ve got to win to stand a real chance. And they only need a draw.

Team news isn’t the most encouraging, with a flu bug going around the Hertha camp. Maxi Nicu is definitely out, Cicero is doubtful, as is Andriy Voronin, who’s not only got the flu but says he can’t take any medication for it because of doping regulations. It may be time for Marko Pantelic- being surprisingly sweet- to be recalled to the starting lineup.

It’ll be a tough game, to be sure. But we’ve pulled off great results before, the team is flying high (if sick), and it’s football. Anything’s possible, right?

Category: europe, match preview

Tags: europe, match preview

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