2. Bundesliga 23/24 Season Preview: Hertha BSC
The expectations of Hertha BSC and the reality of their current situation are two different things. Receiving large investment from sugar daddy Lars Windhorst, to the 777 partner’s deal with the club coming under significant scrutiny from the DFL and lastly losing the moniker of being number one in Berlin.
Their relegation was the crescendo to a Bundesliga soap opera that nobody thought they wanted to see, but inevitably grabbed a bucket of popcorn and got comfortable.
With a new season just around the corner, this ragtag group of misfits must band together to bring the big city club back to the Bundesliga competing against its little brother Union Berlin.
Let’s see how Hertha is shaping up heading into the 2023/24 season.
Team Details
Stadion (Capacity): Olympiastadion (74,649)
Kit manufacturer: Nike
Nicknames: Die Alte Dame (The Old Lady)
Coach: Pál Dárdai
Captain: TBD
Signings & Departures
Signings: Gustav Christensen (FC Midtjylland), Marius Gersbeck (Karlsruhe), Fabian Reese (Holstein Kiel), Jeremy Dudziak (Greuther Fürth), Toni Leistner (Sint-Truidense V.V.), Pascal Klemens (Hertha BSC U19), Martin Winkler (Hertha BSC II), Linus Gechter (Eintracht Braunschweig, loan return), Myziane Maolida (Reims, loan return), Krzysztof Piatek (Salernitana, loan return), Alexander Schwolow (FC Schalke 04, loan return), Luca Wollschläger (Rot-Weiß Essen, loan return), Deyovaisio Zeefuik (Hellas Verona, loan return)
Departures: Omar Alderete (Getafe, loan made permanent), Santiago Ascacibar (Estudiantes, loan made permanent), Kevin-Prince Boateng (retired), Chidera Ejuke (CSKA Moscow, end of loan), Stevan Jovetic (without club), Maximilian Mittelstädt (VfB Stuttgart), Marvin Plattenhardt (without club), Ivan Sunjic (Birmingham City, end of loan), Rune Jarstein (without club), Tolga Cigerci (MKE Ankaragücü), Jessic Ngankam (Eintracht Frankfurt), Krzysztof Piatek (Istanbul Basaksehir FK)
Change at the big city club was inevitable this transfer window, and at the time of writing this it’s really uncertain who else will be coming and going at Hertha. Two names recognisable to 2. Bundesliga fans are goalkeeper Marius Gersbeck and winger Fabian Reese.
Gersbeck is returning home to Berlin for the first time since 2019 after a successful stint with fan friend club Karlsruhe. He could be the number one shot stopper, but we will touch on that dilemma later. Reese had an outstanding season for Kiel, scoring 11 goals and providing 10 assists towards a career high season.
In addition, highly talented 18-year old Gustav Christensen adds much excitement to an attacking core that has a great blend of experience and youth.
Speaking of experience, Toni Leistner returns to the 2. Bundesliga from Belgian side Sint-Truidense V.V. His previous stint in the league was with Hamburg, where he was most famous for jumping stands after an encounter with Dynamo Dresden. He’s a solid defender and provides much needed depth to a Hertha side that has 69 goals in the Bundesliga.
Potential setup
There are plenty of questions to be answered before Hertha starts their 2. Bundesliga campaign in Düsseldorf, especially when considering that there are still plenty of players who could depart. The goalkeeping situation is fascinating, Oliver Christensen should be the number one despite the arrival of Gersbeck. However, with Gersbeck suspended until further notice after allegedly being involved in a scuffle which saw a man treated in hospital. There is still the possibility that Christensen leaves for a club in a higher division, which could leave the door open for Tjark Ernst to start the new season.
The defence is undoubtedly a work in progress, but there is plenty of experience available with the back four. Marc-Oliver Kempf is a solid defender, whilst the likes of Leistner and Dudziak are known quantities in the 2. Bundesliga. Dudziak’s a flexible option who can play in midfield as well, but at this time it’s likely he will play left-back. A position he hasn’t consistently since his time at St. Pauli. The three player race to start at right-back could be won by Deyovaisio Zeefuik who impressed during training camp.
How about the midfield? Well, it’s going to be young. The desire here will be to build the foundation for a mix that Hertha can rise with over the next few seasons. Starting with Pascal Klemens who successfully secured his promotion from the under 19 side. Klemens can be used in the heart of defence or midfield, and I can envision his role being a defensive midfielder. Alongside Klemens could be Márton Dárdai, the Hungarian made 17 appearances for Hertha last season and will be a large part of what Hertha is building this season.
Hertha possess plenty of attacking depth with new signing Reese and former German international Marco Richter. Along with this dynamic duo, Hertha has Florian Niederlechner who looks to bounce back from a disappointing campaign. Niederlechner is the elder statesman of the team, and his experience will be invaluable for such a young squad.
Fan Perspective
The disappointment of relegation for the first time in 12 season is telling. But the hope of an exciting rebuild is something to be hopeful. To get a better idea of what’s happening in the capital city, I spoke to Founder of Hertha Base and Ploggs Marc Schwitzky about the season ahead.
MK: What are your hopes for the upcoming season?
MS: Hertha is coming off four completely chaotic years in which the entire club and its fans suffered. Disappointment after disappointment, problem after problem. Relegation is a bad, albeit deserved, result of those years, but it can also be an opportunity to build a new mentality and perspective.
I don't think that direct promotion will be the goal; the mistakes of the past weigh too heavily for that. Instead, the goal will be to finally write positive stories again, to build a functioning team with many young players, to reduce extremely high economic costs and thus to improve the atmosphere in and around the club again.
MK: Which summer signing are you most looking forward to seeing play?
MS: Definitely Fabian Reese. He had already been signed last winter, but Hertha could not afford the early commitment. Now he is finally here and immediately a source of hope. Reese knows the second division very well, scored over 20 goals last season and was one of the best offensive players in the league.
With his speed and his eagerness to work, he brings qualities that Hertha have lacked for a long time. In addition, Reese seems to be a really good guy who is down-to-earth and aware of his role model function. Thus, he has risen to become a fan favourite in just a few weeks.
MK: Who is one player from Hertha BSC fans of the league should keep an eye on?
MS: Ibrahim Maza. The 17-year-old is a true homegrown and signed his first professional contract three months ago. Due to his enormous talent, many clubs were interested in him internationally, but he decided to stay with his hometown club - making him a figurehead for the new "Berlin Way", with which Hertha wants to integrate as many of its own talents as possible.
Maza impresses with his technique, his sense of space, his flair and his drive towards goal. He is difficult to separate from the ball, always wants to create something and is therefore a very active player. Of course, Maza will need time to arrive in professional football, but I firmly believe that he will take important steps in his development this season.
MK: Fans should go to the Olympiastadion this season because?
MS: A full Olympic Stadium is one of the most impressive experiences in German football. It is completely understandable and overdue that the club wants its own stadium, but there is something monumental and epic about the Olympic Stadium that no other stadium in Germany has. With opponents like Kaiserslautern, Schalke or HSV, it is quite possible that the stadium will be very well filled several times in the coming season - and then a visit will be worthwhile.
MK: Where do you think Hertha BSC will finish this season?
MS: At the time of this question, large parts of the squad are not even in place yet, so the question is difficult to answer. However, it is precisely this fact that makes it clear that it will not be an easy season for Hertha. I don't expect a breakthrough at all. Hertha still has a lot of problems off the pitch, a completely new team and a lot of very young players - all this will mean that development in the new league will take time. As things stand, I think a place between 4th and 8th is realistic.
Predictions
Hertha enters the new 2. Bundesliga campaign as promotion favourites, as is often the case with relegated sides. But the necessity for Hertha to return to the Bundesliga isn’t lost on those at the club. They can ill afford to meander in the toughest league in the world for more than one season, like another giant side.
Whilst writing this preview, the squad feels incomplete and I expect that Hertha will be active as the transfer window closes.
My question heading into this season with coach Dárdai who is in his third separate spell with the club. This is a different situation to years past, and so often is the case, managers who stick with the team they are relegated with aren’t given the same leeway as one fresh in the job. The pressure is on to make strong inroads, and failure to do so should invoke change.
There are many storylines that could dictate what happens to Hertha this season. One thing is for sure, we will be tuning into another season of everyone’s favourite capital city drama.