FIRST TEAM
11/06/2013

A look back at TSG's previous meetings with Hertha

Hoffenheim and Hertha BSC have met six times in the Bundesliga before. TSG have two wins to their name, with the sides sharing the points on just one occasion. achtzehn99.de takes a look back at those encounters and a look ahead to Saturday's.

2008/09 season: Two defeats to start

The first meeting between the two sides was on November 9th 2008. Despite TSG starting their Bundesliga career in sensational fashion, they were unable to beat Hertha away or at home. The side from Berlin won both games 1-0. Former Hertha players Sejad Salihovic and Andreas Beck featured for Hoffenheim.

2009/10 season: Revenge and a manager departs

In the following campaign, TSG turned the tables, winning both fixtures to level up the head-to-head record. A 5-1 home win came in September, followed by a 2-0 triumph in the Olympiastadion on matchday 24. Following Hoffenheim's win in the first half of the season, Hertha released former manager Lucien Favre. The Berlin club ended the campaign with relegation having failed to win in 16 consecutive home matches.

2011/12 season: Another manager dismissed

The fifth meeting between TSG and BSC brought about the first share of the spoils. The result on the final match before the winter break was 1-1. The relationship between then Hertha manager Markus Babbel and sporting director Michael Preetz was starting to boil over. In the following press conference, then Hoffenheim manager Holger Stanislawski joked: “Do you think that they will still be at the Christmas party on Monday?”

The final matchday of the season was Markus Babbel's return to his former side, this time as TSG manager. Hertha, under the management of Otto Rehhagel, were in desperate need of a win, in order to reach the relegation play-offs. Would Markus Babbel be the one to send his former club straight down to the second division? It worked out differently. Berlin won 3-1 and made the play-offs, but were still relegated after losing to Düsseldorf.

2013/14 season: The managers are safe this time

Hoffenheim welcome Hertha Berlin to the WIRSOL Rhein-Neckar-Arena on Saturday, November 2nd at 15:30 CET. As is often the case in football, the result could go either way. The only thing that looks a certainty this time is that neither manager will have to clear their desk after the match. Promoted Hertha are currently in seventh place, while TSG are in ninth, but could overtake BSC with a victory. It's safe to say that Jos Luhukay and Markus Gisdol can feel comfortable in their seats during this encounter.

Both Andreas Beck and Sejad Salihovic will face Hertha for the seventh time with TSG. Both have become leaders at Hoffenheim over the past few years. And who knows, maybe “Sali” will grab his second goal against his former club. He buried a brilliant 25-yard strike on matchday 17 of the 2011/12 season...

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