This Sunday sees top four chasers Hertha Berlin travel to Hamburger SV in week 23 of the 2016/17 Bundesliga campaign. Going into the game, 18 points will separate the two sides, but they are both in desperate need of a victory if they are going to keep their seasons on track.
Berlin find themselves in fifth place, just one point below fourth placed Hoffenheim. With Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund likely to make up the top three, there is just one Champions League spot left, and at least three sides still in contention to clinch it.
Hamburger SV, on the other hand, find themselves fighting for survival at the other end of the Bundesliga table. They are currently sitting in the relegation zone, just two points from safety. That gap will be easy enough to make up with a decent run of results. However, another defeat on Sunday could see them with as many as five points to make up. Given that they have just 20 points to their name after 22 games, making up five points would be a tough task, with just 11 matches remaining.
Berlin will be a tough side to snatch a result against. Yet, this time last week I would have tipped Hamburger to give it a good go. They were unbeaten in their last three league matches, having claimed shock victories throughout February over Bayer Leverkusen and RB Leipzig, as well as a point against SC Freiburg - all teams in the top half of the table.
Likewise, home advantage would have also tipped the balance in Hamburger’s favour. They have lost just four times this season at the Volksparkstadion and have claimed 12 of their 20 points on home soil. However, February ended with a dismal display against Bayern Munich. Markus Gisdol’s side were played off the park in a disheartening 8-0 defeat against the league leaders, and while a loss was to be expected, the extent of the loss will have undoubtedly shattered confidence in the Hamburger dressing room.
As a result, Hertha Berlin will smell blood going into Sunday’s game, having produced a convincing 2-0 victory over fellow Champions League chasers Eintracht Frankfurt last time out.
Surprisingly, they are also trying to banish a spell of bad form. Despite sitting in third entering the New Year, the club suffered a lacklustre blip in the months that followed. Between the end of the winter break and last weekend’s victory, Pál Dárdai’s side won just one game from five, losing three and drawing one. That run left them fighting to salvage their chance of Champions League qualification next season, but they have since recovered by claiming four points against two top five teams.
Hoffenheim are now back in their sights, as they look to sneak back into fourth place. It will likely be a battle fought right until the last, but their trip to Hamburger offers a great opportunity to put more points on the board and keep their momentum going.