Hertha Berlin vs. Borussia Dortmund: Team News, Preview, Live Stream, TV Info
Hertha BSC host Borussia Dortmund in the DFB-Pokal semi-finals on Wednesday evening in Olympiastadion.
The meeting holds special significance for both teams: It's the biggest occasion for the hosts in recent history, seeing as they made it to the semi-finals for the first time since 1981, while, for Dortmund, the cup represents the last shot at silverware following their exit in the UEFA Europa League against Liverpool.
It might be a once-in-a-lifetime chance for many of Hertha's players to play a cup final in their home stadium, and head coach Pal Dardai would reach even more of a legendary status—he holds the club record with 373 appearances between 1997 and 2012—if he fulfilled the lifelong dream of Hertha's fanbase.
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Dortmund, on the other hand, have developed into cup experts in recent years: It would be their third straight DFB-Pokal final and the fourth in five years.
However impressive the first season under Thomas Tuchel has been so far, it would be disappointing to come away empty-handed and with nothing to play for in the final month, so expect Dortmund to be on their best.
The Black and Yellows won the first meeting of the season in August 3-1, but Hertha held them to a goalless draw in the return fixture in February. Matchups played in Germany's capital have usually been tight, apart from a 4-0 Dortmund win in 2014. There've been only two goals in the other four meetings in the Olympiastadion since 2010.
Date: Wednesday, April 20
Time: 7:30 p.m. BST/2:30 a.m. ET/8:30 p.m. local time
Venue: Olympiastadion, Berlin
TV Info: BT Sport Europe (UK only)/ESPN 3 (U.S. only)
Live Stream: BT Sport live streaming (UK only)/Watch ESPN (U.S. only)
Form Guide
| Hertha | Dortmund |
| Schalke: Win (2-0) | Bremen: Win (3-2) |
| Ingolstadt: Win (2-1) | Liverpool: Draw (1-1) |
| Monchengladbach: Loss (5-0) | Schalke: Draw (2-2) |
| Hannover: Draw (2-2) | Liverpool: Loss (4-3) |
| Hoffenheim: Loss (2-1) | Hamburg: Win (3-0) |
Predicted Lineups
Hertha
Apart from long-term absentees Sinan Kurt and Sami Allagui, Dardai can choose from his entire squad. Midfielder Vladimir Darida suffers from slight knee problems, however, and his status is shaky, as the Hungarian head coach told Andreas Hunzinger of sport magazine Kicker (link in German).
If the Czech Republic international can't play, it'd be a big loss for Hertha. Jens Hegeler or Tolga Cigerci would likely come into the lineup.
Mitchell Weiser, meanwhile, will return to the starting XI after missing the disappointing last-minute loss to Hoffenheim with a suspension. The former Bayern Munich man could play at right-back but is more likely to slot in in midfield as Hertha are expected to field a defensive-minded XI.
In central defence, experience could give Sebastian Langkamp the nod over Niklas Stark, who scored Hertha's only goal at the weekend.
Predicted Starting XI: Jarstein; Pekarik, Langkamp, Brooks, Plattenhardt; Lustenberger, Skjelbred; Weiser, Darida, Kalou; Ibisevic.
Dortmund
Having rested a number of key players in the 3-0 win over Hamburg following the collapse at Anfield Road, Tuchel can put almost his entire first-choice XI on the field. Ilkay Gundogan returned to the starting lineup against Hamburg after overcoming a bruised foot and should be good to go for 60 minutes at least.
One big absentee, however, is Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The club announced on Tuesday that the Gabon international has chipped a bone in a toe in team training on Monday and will miss the game. Former Hertha player Adrian Ramos has shown decent form in recent weeks and will step in as the centre-forward.
Two contested spots in the XI are at centre-back, where Sven Bender and Sokratis Papastathopoulos fight for the spot next to team captain Mats Hummels, and central midfield, where Shinji Kagawa and Gonzalo Castro are the main options.
Predicted Starting XI: Burki; Piszczek, Sokratis, Hummels, Schmelzer; Gundogan, Weigl, Kagawa; Mkhitaryan, Ramos, Reus.
Players to Watch
Hertha don't have many players who have experience in this big a match, so the onus will fall on the few that do to lead their team-mates by example.
Salomon Kalou is easily the most experienced of the bunch, having won a UEFA Champions League trophy and four FA Cups during his six years at Chelsea. The Ivory Coast international is playing a strong campaign, having found the net 14 times in the Bundesliga already and adding three in four DFB-Pokal matches.
Usually coming from the left wing, Kalou's pace and strong finishing could be dangerous for Dortmund, especially in counter-attacking situations.
As for Dortmund, many eyes will be on Ramos. The Colombian hasn't enjoyed the greatest of times with the Ruhr side so far, having moved from Hertha to Dortmund in 2014, but has been on the rise since the turn of the year.
The 30-year-old has scored six league goals since February 28, per Transfermarkt.co.uk, despite making only four starts, and has generally looked like a capable back-up for Aubameyang whenever he was called upon. Now going up against his former club, Ramos will be especially motivated to play well.
Key Battles
Can Hertha Handle the Occasion?
Hertha have increased the capacity of the Olympiastadion for the semi-final with an additional stand, while they'll play with special commemorative jerseys, too. The whole city seems behind Hertha, which doesn't happen too often—football isn't a big priority in Germany's capital, and the club struggles to fill the Olympiastadion more often than not.
While it could push the team to their limit in a positive way, it could well have a negative effect as well. The tension could be too much for a Hertha side that has never played in this big a game.
A nervous start wouldn't be too surprising, and Dortmund have the strength to make their opponents pay. If Hertha keep their calm, however, they could pull of a big upset.
Midfield Battle
In February's goalless draw, Hertha were a constant nuisance to Dortmund's midfielders, who struggled to exude their usual dominance. The Black and Yellows created very little going forward and Hertha actually had the better chances to win the game late.
If Hertha again manage to keep Dortmund away from dangerous areas and thus keep the game tight into the later stages, one counter-attack could be enough to win a trip to the final on May 21.
Odds (via Oddschecker)
Berlin: 53-10
Draw: 41-13
Dortmund: 11-18
Team news for Dortmund were amended after the club announced Aubameyang's injury.
Lars Pollmann is a Featured Columnist writing on Borussia Dortmund. He also writes for YellowWallPod.com. You can follow him on Twitter.
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