Vacation’s Over

By: Abby | July 16th, 2008

That’s right, Hertha BSC is back to playing tomorrow. And not just another pre-season game, a game that mean something. After qualifying for Europe though the Fair Play League, we’re tossed into the qualifying round of the UEFA Cup.

Our opponents are FC Nistru Otaci. They are from Moldova. Two games into the Moldovan season and they’re without any points, after away losses to Dinamo Bender and FC Sheriff (which is a seriously awesome name). Lulu was at the FC Sheriff game, apparently, and said that Nistru Otaci were very defensive and spent long periods of the game with 10 men behind the ball. FC Sheriff are the league champions, and Otaci were away, so it may be a glimpse of how they show up to Berlin tomorrow. It is unlikely to be a pretty sort of game.

We’ll be missing a few players for it as well- new signings Rodnei and Maximillian Nicu have picked up knocks, and it’s a bit too soon for Lucio (he’s progressing well, but might need another surgery on his knee). Josip Simunic also has some kind of tendon irritation- or perhaps we just want to make sure he isn’t injured or cup-tied in case a bid actually does come for him (he doesn’t want to go to Greece, and talks with Fulham have stalled, which puts a damper on our transfer plans). Arne Friedrich isn’t yet back from vacation, having been in the Euro 2008 final. However, Marko Pantelic looks set to start. So we’ve got that going for us.

I can’t really say what to expect. But I’m really hoping for some good things.

Oh, club football, I’ve missed you.

Category: europe, match preview

Tags: europe, fc nistru otaci, home, match preview

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Comments  

• Mauro |  July 16th, 2008 at 11:02 pm

  
  
  

  How bout your new signing? Cicero.

  Check out my blog for info on that.

  http://libertadores.theoffside.com/news/flu-loses-players-as-well.html

  Posted from United States

  

• Paul |  July 17th, 2008 at 5:52 am

  
  
  

  Dinamo Bender and FC Sheriff?? Someone’s having a laugh with these names, surely. There’s nothing quite like that Moldovian wit is there? How come it’s not at the Olympiastadion tonight? And of course, onwards to Istanbul

  Posted from United Kingdom

  

• Chris |  July 17th, 2008 at 6:33 am

  
  
  

  I’m with you that Simunic doesn’t want to be cup tied and is waiting until the transfer sorts out. Surprised that the Fulham deal stalled. I thought it was done. . .

  Posted from United States

  

• diana |  July 17th, 2008 at 12:17 pm

  
  
  

  Half-time at the moment and Hertha is 5-0 currently.

  Posted from Singapore

  

• Abby |  July 17th, 2008 at 10:51 pm

  
  
  

  FC Sheriff is amazing, I’d agree, Paul. And apparently the Olympiastadion was being used for the Junior Track & Field World Championships. (There were only 12,000-some people there anyway, so.)

  Chris- I thought the Fulham deal was done, too. But it seems like every ‘done deal’ with Hertha collapses (Simunic’s outgoing one, Fejsa’s incoming one, whatever’s going on with Chermitti), and then random signings happen unexpectedly. We’ll see where Three-Card Joe goes…

  Posted from United States

  

• Abby |  July 17th, 2008 at 10:54 pm

  
  
  

  Er, not the World Championship, the German Championship. Something with running, anyway.

  Posted from United States

  

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