The personnel situation at Hertha BSC is easing somewhat, at least on the offensive side. Three days after Krzysztof Piatek’s eight-minute comeback in the 0:6 loss in Leipzig, Stevan Jovetic has returned to team training.
His debut in the league was an exclamation mark. Stevan Jovetic scored after just six minutes for Hertha in the match in Cologne on Matchday 1 this season. The Montenegrin – a slippery type with a fine foot – confirmed his reputation as an early starter. He had already scored on debut for Inter Milan and FC Sevilla.
“He has a ball control like very few at Hertha in the last 30 years. “
HERTHA COACH PAL DARDAI ON JOVETIC
“It’s been a long time since we’ve had such a good footballer,” Hertha coach Pal Dardai said after the game in Cologne. “With him you can play strategically, he has ball control like very few at Hertha in the last 30 years. Technically he is outstanding, at the highest level.” Hertha, however, lost the game in Cologne 1:3 – and then two weeks later in the 0:5 in Munich Jovetic also lost, because of a muscle injury in the calf.
How comfortable is Jovetic with sprints?
It quickly became clear after his arrival in the summer that the man who many experts once predicted would reach the highest heights at Partizan Belgrade and Florence does not currently have the necessary fitness for 90 gruelling minutes in the Bundesliga. But it also became clear that he can help this team with his qualities in finishing and passing and his feeling for spaces and situations. On Tuesday afternoon, the 31-year-old returned to team training after a four-week absence. If the week goes off without a hitch, he will be at least a wild card candidate against SC Freiburg on Saturday, possibly more. “I’m glad he’s in,” Dardai said. “He has cured his injury, which was not easy. Now he has to put this week behind him. We will watch him and see how comfortable he is with sprints.”
Krzysztof Piatek had already made his comeback after more than four months in the 0:6 debacle in Leipzig on Saturday. The Polish striker, who missed the European Championship due to a broken ankle suffered in mid-May in the match against Schalke (2-1), used his eight minutes of playing time to make a spirited finish. “He is not yet good enough for 90 minutes,” Dardai said on Tuesday. “We have to think about whether we give him half an hour next time or more. He has the goal nose.” One thing is clear: Jovetic and Piatek will give Davie Selke, who was allowed to start against his former club in Leipzig and was ineffective in a thankless game for a centre-forward, and new signing Ishak Belfodil much more competition. “The more players are healthy, the more flexibility we have,” Dardai explained after Tuesday’s intense, almost 100-minute training session.
Return to back four possible
Meanwhile, the defensive line-up against Freiburg remains unclear. Dardai is hoping for centre-back Dedryck Boyata, who was ruled out ten days ago against Fürth (2-1) due to a thigh injury, and right-back Deyovaisio Zeefuik, who has been plagued by adductor problems for weeks. “It’s possible he can make it,” the coach said of captain Boyata. “He has to decide that for himself. He has the experience.” Boyata trained individually on Tuesday, as did Zeefuik. Should neither make it, Hertha would probably revert to a back four against Freiburg.
In addition to the currently injured Zeefuik, another defensive player for the right wing, Lukas Klünter (shoulder surgery), has been missing for more than two weeks. The third member of the trio, who has his natural habitat there, is veteran Peter Pekarik – and he is the least suitable of the trio as a track player for a system with a five-man backline. In training, the trained centre forward Tony Rölke (18) from the U19s helped out at right back. He was not the only one from the in-house stable of talents who was allowed to mingle with the Bundesliga players.
In addition to U-23 centre-back Christalino Atemona (19), who already took part in the previous week and will stay for the time being, his U-23 team-mate Sonny Ziemer (20) also listened to Dardai’s very numerous commands on Tuesday. Ziemer is at home in central defence – where Hertha’s need is currently greatest without Jordan Torunarigha, Linus Gechter, Boyata and the versatile Klünter.
