Hertha Berlin host RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga on Saturday evening and they will be looking to get back to winning ways at home.
The home side are coming into this game on the back of just one win from their last six league matches and they will be desperate to grind out a positive result here. Hertha Berlin are currently 16th in the league table and they will be desperate to avoid relegation this season.
Meanwhile, RB Leipzig are coming into this game on the back of three defeats from the last four league matches and the visitors will need to improve on their recent performances. They are currently 5th in the league table and they will be looking to push for Champions League qualification
Leipzig picked up a thrilling 3-2 victory over Hertha Berlin back in October and they will be hoping for more of the same here. The visitors have picked up five wins and a draw in their last six meetings against Hertha Berlin across all competitions.
🎙️ Marco Rose:
"We won an important game against Dortmund and we're delighted to have made the semi-finals of the DFB-Pokal. Now we're back to Bundesliga action. We need every point we can get, so we need to build on Wednesday night."#BSCRBL pic.twitter.com/Gu6H7SVf91
— RB Leipzig English (@RBLeipzig_EN) April 7, 2023
Team News and Tactics
Hertha Berlin
The home side will be without the services of Kelian Nsona because of a knee injury. Chidera Ejuke is likely to miss out with a knee problem as well.
However, the return of Marco Richter will be a boost. He is set to return to the side after serving his suspension.
Hertha Berlin are likely to shape up in a 3-5-2 formation with Oliver Christensen in goal.
Filip Uremovich will start alongside Marc Oliver Kempf and Marton Dardai in the back three. The three players will look to keep the home defence compact and help their side build from the back.
Richter is set to start as the right-sided wing back with Marvin Plattenhardt on the left. The two wing-backs will look to add width and creativity to the side during transitions.
In the middle of the park, Lucas Tousart will start alongside Suat Serdar and Tolga Cigerci. The three players will look to protect the central defenders and create counter-attacking opportunities for their teammates.
Dodi Lukebakio is set to lead the line for the home side along with Wilfried Kanga.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Christensen; Uremovic, Kempf, Dardai; Richter, Tousart, Serdarm Cigerci, Plattenhardt; Lukebakio, Kanga
RB Leipzig
Christopher Nkunku is still recovering from his thigh injury and he is expected to miss out. Meanwhile, Xaver Schlager misses out after surgery on an ankle injury. Yussuf Poulsen remains a doubt for the visitors.
Peter Gulacsi is a long-term absentee with an ACL injury. Meanwhile, Abdou Diallo has not recovered from his knee problem yet and he is set to be sidelined.
The visitors are likely to shape up in a 4-2-3-1 formation with Janis Blaswich in goal.
Benjamin Henrichs and Marcel Halstenberg will be deployed as the full-backs and the two players will look to provide width and numbers in the attack along with their defensive responsibilities.
Josco Gvardiol will start alongside Willi Orban in the centre of the defence.
In the midfield pivot, Konrad Laimer will look to break up the opposition play while Amadou Haidara looks to add defensive cover and drive to the side.
Emil Forsberg and Timo Werner are likely to be deployed as the wingers here and the two players will look to create opportunities for star striker Andre Silva.
Dominik Szoboszlai will start as the central attacking midfielder and he will be the link between the midfield and the attack.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Blaswich; Henrichs, Orban, Gvardiol, Halstenberg; Laimer, Haidara; Forsberg, Szoboszlai, Werner; Silva
Key Stats
- Dodi Lukebakio has contributed to 11 of Hertha’s 31 goals so far this term, scoring 10.
- Hertha Berlin have conceded 49 goals in the league this season, they have the third-worst defensive record.
- Leipzig have more wins against Hertha (11 from 13 games) than any Bundesliga team they have faced.
- Sixteen of the 33 goals Leipzig have conceded this season have been from set plays.
- RB Leipzig have scored at least 2 goals in their last 13 matches against Hertha Berlin in all competitions.
Player to watch out for
Dominik Szoboszlai
🇭🇺 Interesting fact:
8 of Dominik Szoboszlai’s 23 goal contributions in the Bundesliga have come from set-pieces. That’s close to 35%.
4 out of his 8 goal contributions for the Hungarian national team came from set pieces. 50%.
He is a dead ball specialist. pic.twitter.com/f8QotP7PBx
— Bence Bocsák (@BenBocsak) March 30, 2023
The 22-year-old Hungarian midfielder has been in impressive form this season scoring 7 goals and picking up 11 assists across all competitions.
The midfielder was outstanding against Bochum and Mainz recently and he produced a superb performance against Bulgaria during the international break as well.
Clearly, Szoboszlai is in a rich vein of form right now and he could cause all sorts of problems for a vulnerable Hertha Berlin defence.
Prediction
Hertha Berlin 1-2 RB Leipzig
The visitors are undoubtedly the better team here and despite losing three of the last four matches, they will be the favourites heading into this contest. Hertha Berlin will look to make life difficult for the visitors at home and they will look to give RB Leipzig a run for their money.
However, the away side have the quality to grind out all three points in the end. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for RB Leipzig.