Hertha Berlin vs Nurnberg Predictions

A relatively uneventful 17/18 campaign for Hertha Berlin saw them finish ten points clear of the relegation play-off spot and as many adrift of the top six. Pal Dardai has brought in some reinforcements over the summer in the form of defender Lukas Klunter – relegated with Cologne at the end of last season – and loanees Javairo Dilrosun and Marko Grujic from Manchester City and Liverpool respectively. Genki Haraguchi has also returned to Hertha following a loan spell that saw him help Fortuna Dusseldorf to promotion. Whether or not these new additions can help the Berliners push higher than a 10th place finish is yet to be seen, but Hertha’s progression to the second round of the DFB Pokal via a 2-1 win over Eintracht Braunschweig last weekend could be a sign of good things to come.

Nurnberg also progressed through to the second round of the DFB Pokal with a 2-1 win over fifth-tier side Linx on Saturday. Last season’s second top scorer for the Bundesliga 2 runners up, Mikael Ishak (12 goals), netted both in that win – an indication of form at the perfect time for Der Club. Captain Hanno Behrens, who nipped him to the top spot with 14 goals in 2017/18, is no doubt optimistic that the pair can continue to share the offensive workload going into the new season. Nurnberg defender Enrico Valentini (33 appearances last term) was substituted off injured in that match though, so coach Michael Kollner might have a big decision to make before their Bundesliga opener – their first top flight match since 2014.

Nurnberg’s return to the top flight under Kollner is an inspiration in terms of backstory, but the fact remains that this is the 48-year-old’s first senior managerial role after 15 years working with the DFB. His lack of experience and Der Club’s limited transfer business since being promoted puts them in a very difficult position going into the new season and ahead of the match on Friday. Hertha Berlin have been a very tough team to beat on their own turf since the turn of 2018 – in fact, the Berliners have lost just two of their last nine matches at home in the league, even drawing to sides like Borussia Dortmund and Hoffenheim – and were in top scoring form as the season drew to a close. Hertha averaged two goals per game over their last five outings at the Olympiastadion and have not sold any of their goalscorers.

Hertha also have a realiable track record at home to newly promoted sides, winning three of the last four outings against such teams. Wins against Stuttgart (2-0), Hannover (3-1) and Freiburg (2-1) over the past two seasons are tainted only by the anomoly that rising stars RB Leipzig (1-4) proved to be. Nurnberg are arguably weaker than any of those teams and in a much trickier position, having to adjust to a higher standard of football under an inexperienced trainer. Notably, Nurnberg produced better results on the road than at home, so it will be interesting to see how that translates into the German top flight.

Ultimately, with Hertha having the same established core spine of their 17/18 team, you have to fancy them to come out on top by the final whistle. Given that Hertha kept a clean sheet in just 18% of their home outings matches last season though, it wouldn’t be too much of a surprise to see a goal in it for the visitors either. Our prediction: 2-1 Hertha.