The battle for survival is set to go right down to the wire. Only one point separates VfB, who currently occupy the relegation play-off spot, from a Hertha side hovering just a point above the Bundesliga’s bottom three. The two teams go toe-to-toe at the Olympiastadion in Berlin at 17:30 CEST on Sunday.
“The game is going to be a challenge,” VfB boss Pellegrino Matarazzo said on Thursday. “We’re approaching the task with respect, but at the same time we’re excited about the possibility of climbing out of the relegation play-off position against our direct rivals. It’s a huge opportunity for us.”
Matarazzo is confident his players will seize that opportunity in the capital this weekend. “I’m getting a good feeling from the players,” he said. “They’re working in a very focused manner. You can feel the togetherness and we’ve managed to pick up points on a consistent basis in recent weeks.”
The Stuttgart boss will be buoyed by the return of captain Wataru Endo following his coronavirus-enforced isolation. Endo’s compatriot Hiroki Ito is fit for Sunday’s game after taking full part in training this week – despite suffering a blow to the nose against 1. FSV Mainz 05 last time out – while Orel Mangala has recovered from an ankle problem. Clinton Mola is sidelined with a knee issue, but Atakan Karazor has left isolation after testing negative for Covid-19. “Ata will undergo a fitness test on Friday morning,” Matarazzo said. “We’ll decide after that whether he can play a part in Sunday’s game.”