After two victories in the league, Hertha BSC also want to stay unscathed in the DFB Cup, but must continue to improvise in the defensive centre: Niklas Stark will be missing in Münster on Tuesday, Marton Dardai is expected to get a rest after his comeback against Gladbach (1:0)
For the home match against Borussia Mönchengladbach (1-0), Hertha coach Pal Dardai had to cut vice-captain Niklas Stark from his plans at short notice due to adductor problems. Stark will also be absent on Tuesday, when the Berliners host West-Regionalligist Preußen Münster in the 2nd round of the DFB Cup. The defender is receiving daily treatment, and according to kicker information, there is still hope for a comeback on Friday at the Bundesliga match in Hoffenheim.
Youngster Gechter will defend in the cup
Against Gladbach, Marton Dardai started in place of Stark in central defence. He had only returned to team training on Wednesday after a two-and-a-half-week break due to a torn muscle fibre in his thigh – and was supposed to share the job at Boyata’s side with Linus Gechter after Stark’s absence. In the end, the 19-year-old Dardai stayed on the pitch for 80 minutes in this tight, intense game and said after the match: “It went longer for me than originally thought. By the time I was substituted, I was already at the end of my tether.” In order not to risk a consequential injury, Dardai will be given a break in Münster. The 17-year-old Gechter, who has made a detached impression in his Bundesliga appearances to date, is expected to start in his place.
With another centre-back, Jordan Torunarigha (thigh injury), out for weeks alongside Stark and defensive all-rounder Lukas Klünter (shoulder surgery) also unavailable, coach Dardai will have to continue to improvise in the centre of defence, especially as Dedryck Boyata, who is prone to aches and pains, will need longer recovery times. After the 1:0 against Gladbach, the Hungarian said: “We have to roll the dice a bit on that position. But we still have enough good players in the youth ranks.” U-23 centre-backs Marlon Morgenstern, Christalino Atemona and Cim Röcker have already been an integral part of professional training for weeks recently.
Several changes conceivable
Dardai will be looking ahead to Friday night’s game in Sinsheim, but will be looking to reduce the workload in the English week. Striker Krzysztof Piatek, who has just returned from a four-month break (broken ankle), and Marco Richter are candidates for a break in the cup, as is veteran Peter Pekarik. Deyovaisio Zeefuik is likely to come into play in Münster in place of the Slovakian right-back routinier. Piatek will be replaced either by Ishak Belfodil or Davie Selke, who headed Hertha to victory in injury time in the 1st Cup round against third division side SV Meppen. Jurgen Ekkelenkamp could start on the right – Myziane Maolida, who can play on the right, left and centre, is also considered a candidate for the starting eleven despite a weak 30 minutes as a wild card against Gladbach. And in central midfield, Lucas Tousart is expected to start in Münster. The Frenchman was out of action a week ago in Frankfurt (2:1) due to an ankle injury, against Gladbach he came on the field after 80 minutes. Richter, who scored the winning goal against Gladbach with a side-footed overhead kick, has long since set the agenda for the new week: “We definitely want to progress in the DFB Cup and then put in another performance like the one against Mönchengladbach in Hoffenheim on Friday evening.
