Rehhagel's Hertha next up for in-form Bayern
Reuters - Thursday 15 March 2012, 12:30
Otto Rehhagel has
twice pulled off near-impossible feats in his distinguished
coaching career and faces another huge challenge on Saturday as
his relegation-threatened Hertha Berlin attempt to stop goal
happy Bayern Munich.
Bayern have been irresistible in their last two games,
scoring seven in each, and suddenly appear to have gained
momentum at the right time in the season after a slump which
including defeats to Borussia Monchengladbach and Bayer
Leverkusen.
If anyone can stop find a way of stopping them, however, it
is the 73-year-old Rehhagel, who led Kaiserslautern to an
improbable Bundesliga title in 1998, the only time a promoted
team has won the championship, and won Euro 2004 with Greece, an
equally unlikely achievement.
Rehhagel's total of 18 wins over Bayern at various stages
during his career is more than any other coach has managed and
"King Otto" is always happy to put one over on the Bavarian club
who sacked him after less than a season back in 1996.
In complete contrast to Bayern, Hertha, who are 16th with 23
points and occupy the relegation playoff spot, have found goals
almost impossible to come by, scoring only once in their last
seven outings in all competitions.
"We create plenty of chances but we can't put the ball in
the net," said Rehhagel, who has managed one win and two defeats
since becoming Hertha's third coach of the season.
Bayern, second with 51 points, are still five behind leaders
and titleholders Borussia Dortmund, with nine games each to
play, including a meeting between the two sides on April 11.
Jurgen Klopp's team host sixth-placed Werder Bremen
and are attempting to set a club record of 20
Bundesliga matches without defeat, their last reverse having
come against Hannover 96 in September.
They had also won eight games in a row until being held to a
goalless draw at Augsburg last week.
Borussia Monchengladbach have dropped back into third spot,
three points behind Bayern, after picking up only one point and
failing to score in their last two games and hope that a visit
to local rivals Bayer Leverkusen will inspire
them to an improvement.
"Maybe Leverkusen's attacking goal will favour us," said
striker Marco Reus, whose side won the corresponding fixture
last season 6-3.
"We simply have to work harder in training and we will start
winning again."
The weekend also features a key relegation battle with
Hamburg SV, who have dropped into 14 place with 27 points,
facing 17th place Freiburg, who have 22.
Hoffenheim, Bayern's victims last Saturday when they lost
7-1, hope for an easier time when they host VfB Stuttgart on
Friday evening.
Coach Markus Babbel admitted he got some grim satisfaction
out of seeing Bayern beat FC Basel 7-0 in the Champions League
on Tuesday.
"Maybe we're not the only village idiots, it's happened to
someone else" he said. "That was a confirmation of how strong
Bayern are."