Time is running out for Hertha Berlin in their pursuit of a place in the Champions League next season. Despite spending much of the 2016/17 campaign occupying second, third and fourth place in the Bundesliga table, Pál Dárdai’s side have slumped to fifth following a poor start to 2017.
The struggling side have won just two of their seven matches since returning from the winter break, but their latest defeat, a narrow 1-0 loss to relegation candidates Hamburger SV, has left them with plenty to do if they are going to regain their place in the top four. They now have four points to claw back in order to catch fourth placed Hoffenheim.
Luckily for Hertha Berlin, they have the perfect opportunity to start chipping away at the points difference this weekend, when they host Borussia Dortmund at the Olympiastadion Berlin on Saturday, March 11th.
Dortmund currently sit in third place with 43 points from 23 matches. That puts them six points clear of Berlin. However, given their inconsistent form this season, that could all change within a matter of weeks.
In hindsight, it is quite incredible that Dortmund find themselves so high up the table at this stage of the season, given the poor spells that they have suffered throughout large parts of the season. They have won just over half of their matches so far - 12 wins from 23 games, which looks decent enough on paper. However, five of those victories have occurred in their last seven matches.
Defeats haven’t been much of an issue. They have lost just four times so far, which is the third lowest amount in the league. However, the number of draws recorded have stopped Dortmund from challenging Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig for the title.
With their lacklustre form seemingly behind them, Dortmund’s recent run of results has seen them climb from sixth to third over the last few months. However, their away form remains an issue
Thomas Tuchel’s side have just four wins on the road so far this season, having also drawn four and lost four of their 12 away matches. Those statistics will be music to the ears of Hertha Berlin, who will be confident of coming through a tough game with three more points on the board. Dárdai’s side have dropped just five points at home so far throughout the campaign, having won nine, drawn one and lost one.
Home advantage will be a massive advantage for Berlin, as it has been throughout the season and this will provide Dortmund with arguably their biggest test yet in 2017. It will certainly offer an insight into just how much Tuchel’s side have improved over the last few months.
One defeat can make all the difference come the end of the season and there are now very few games remaining for the trailing side to make up the points. At this stage of the season, both teams will know what’s at stake - with three points on their minds, Saturday’s game should make for an entertaining 90 minutes of football.