Hertha BSC Halts Losing Streak Under New Coach Stefan Leitl
Hertha BSC failed to secure the decisive victory they had hoped for under their new coach, Stefan Leitl, but their strong defensive performance stopped the club’s losing streak. "That was a huge step in the right direction," said captain Fabian Reese after the 0:0 draw against 1. FC Nürnberg. "We had a great mentality on the pitch. We defended together."
Despite the improved performance, the Berlin club remains in the relegation battle of the 2. Fußball-Bundesliga and is still waiting for its first home win since October. "In the end, we should have won the game," said sporting director Benjamin Weber. "We didn’t allow any real chances and played an intense match. But we’ve also broken the losing streak after four defeats."
Leitl largely relied on continuity in Hertha’s starting lineup, making only two changes. Florian Niederlechner started as center forward instead of Michael Cuisance, and Tjark Ernst replaced Marius Gersbeck in goal. Ernst had been Berlin’s number one goalkeeper in 2024 but lost his starting spot in January. Leitl said it was a gut feeling to bring him back. Against a rather harmless Nuremberg attack, Ernst remained largely unoccupied. "We can be satisfied with the performance," said the goalkeeper.
Niederlechner, on the other hand, was rarely able to make an impact. With the Berliners struggling to find gaps in Nuremberg’s defense, the 34-year-old center forward barely saw the ball and had to make way for Cuisance after around 65 minutes. The club’s offensive play was too imprecise. Reese’s unplaced volley and an attempt from a narrow angle (58th minute) were Berlin’s best chances.
Despite the lack of goals, the fans applauded the team’s improved performance. However, there is still a lot of work ahead for Leitl and Hertha. "Today’s match has to be the benchmark," said Ernst, looking optimistically toward the upcoming games.
Hertha BSC’s Defensive Resilience Provides Glimmer of Hope
Hertha BSC’s defensive solidity under new coach Stefan Leitl has offered a ray of hope amid their relegation battle in the 2. Fußball-Bundesliga. Despite failing to secure a much-needed victory in their 0:0 draw against 1. FC Nürnberg, the Berlin club showed signs of improvement that could prove crucial in their fight to avoid the drop.
Leitl’s decision to deploy a largely unchanged starting lineup, with the notable exceptions of Florian Niederlechner replacing Michael Cuisance and Tjark Ernst coming in for Marius Gersbeck in goal, paid dividends defensively. Ernst, who had previously lost his starting spot in January, put in a solid performance, keeping a clean sheet against a Nuremberg attack that posed little threat.
The collective defensive effort was a welcome sight for Hertha, who had conceded 11 goals in their previous four matches. Captain Fabian Reese praised the team’s newfound resilience, saying, "We had a different mentality on the pitch. We defended together."
While the defensive improvement was encouraging, Hertha’s offensive struggles continued. Despite dominating possession for much of the match, they failed to create clear-cut chances, with Reese’s unplaced volley and an attempt from a narrow angle their best opportunities.
Sporting director Benjamin Weber acknowledged the need for improvement in the attacking department, saying, "We should have won the game. We didn’t allow any real chances and played an intense match. But we also need to be more precise in front of goal."
Despite the frustrations, Leitl remained positive, saying, "This match has to be the benchmark. It gives me confidence for the upcoming games." With a crucial home match against relegation rivals Jahn Regensburg coming up next, Hertha will need to build on their defensive solidity and find a way to translate their possession into goals if they want to pull themselves out of the danger zone.
