Here is the table as Hertha heads into match day 33. Not as comfortably positioned as I might have hoped perhaps but it could easily be a lot worse. Six points to play for and with Hertha only three points and a bit of goal difference away from the playoff place. The outcome of these last two games will define this season for the bottom six clubs. |
Matchday 33 FC Augsburg : Hannover 96 Hertha BSC : Eintracht Frankfurt VfB Stuttgart : Hamburger SV Sport-Club Freiburg : FC Bayern München FC Schalke 04 : SC Paderborn 07 | Matchday 34 Hamburger SV : FC Schalke 04 SC Paderborn 07 : VfB Stuttgart TSG 1899 Hoffenheim : Hertha BSC Hannover 96 : Sport-Club Freiburg |
To have a chance of overtaking and dropping Hertha into the mire the bottom five teams need the following:
Hannover 96 – at least a win and a draw and close the goal difference gap of 3
VfB Stuttgart - at least a win and a draw and close the goal difference gap of 5
SC Paderborn 07 – in practice, two wins
Sport-Club Freiburg - a win and a draw would do it.
Hamburger SV – in practice one win would do it.
But hey, I'm really hoping none of this matters. I just want to see Hertha win on Saturday and then who cares what the other teams do in their matches! Part 2 will appear on, or shortly after match day 33 . . .