DFB Cup
Hertha relies on Reese and Niederlechner – “Great night”
Today Hertha is in the cup quarter-finals against 1. FC Kaiserslautern. photo
© Uwe Anspach/dpa
Hertha BSC and the DFB Cup. This is a special thing. The concrete prospect of a home final creates a crackling atmosphere in Berlin. Two offensive players are the bearers of hope.
Florian Niederlechner watched for a long time. 46 days have passed since his annoying sending off in the 0-0 draw in the second division game Hertha BSC against VfL Osnabrück shortly before Christmas.
But the striker can’t imagine a better stage for a comeback: DFB Cup, quarter-finals against 1. FC Kaiserslautern today (8.45 p.m./Sky) in the sold-out Olympic Stadium. “That’s what you play football for. We’re going to give it our all. It’s going to be a great night and hopefully a successful night in which we can celebrate,” said the 33-year-old to “Kicker”.
Returnees with potential to be hopeful
Niederlechner is not the only returnee with potential to be a source of hope for the Berlin team. Fabian Reese had to miss even longer after a corona infection due to poor blood values. Now the fan favorite against FCK should be enough for at least a few minutes. It doesn’t matter whether it’s for 5 or 30 minutes, said assistant coach Tamás Bódog. “Fabi will make the difference,” he predicted. And Niederlechner? It is a “very good option”. Probably straight for the starting eleven.
Especially in the year-end spurt in 2023, the duo was influential for a good Hertha series. Niederlechner scored all six of his goals this season in November and December. Reese ignited beforehand. With a total of seven goals and twelve assists, he shot himself into Berlin’s hearts. “I notice how much the dream of every single Hertha fan here is to have a final at home. The cup journey has been incredible so far. The path to the title is the shortest path in Germany,” he said in the podcast “kicker FE: times”.
Hertha last reached the cup semi-finals in 2016, losing 3-0 to Borussia Dortmund. The Berliners and their professional team have never been in the final in the Olympic Stadium. Niederlechner also feels the special atmosphere before the sold-out game: “You just have to walk through the city at the moment. It’s unbelievable, everyone is asking you about the cup game,” said the veteran. “The DFB Cup is always a nice competition, but here in Berlin it is even nicer.”