Berlin rivals Union flying, Hertha flailing in Bundesliga
Union Berlin is dreaming of the Champions League while Hertha Berlin faces the nightmare of relegation.
The fortunes of the German capital's Bundesliga clubs could hardly be more pronounced this season.
Union, which was only promoted to the top division in 2019, just needs to win one of its remaining two games to be virtually assured of qualifying for Europe's top competition. It's an astounding achievement for a team that was expected to fight for survival at the beginning of the season.
Instead, it's city rival Hertha that looks set to drop down to the second division. Hertha, one of the original members when the Bundesliga was formed in 1963, is last with two games remaining. Its seventh demotion will be confirmed if it doesn't beat relegation rival Bochum at home on Saturday.
It's arguably the lowest point in Hertha's history since its formation in 1892 – a rude awakening from the heady days of 2019 when investor Lars Windhorst declared it a "big city club" and announced his ambition of turning Hertha into one of Europe's best.
Windhorst invested 374 million euros ($406 million) altogether, but the money disappeared while the team's poor performances were overshadowed by a string of off-field scandals.
Cost-cutting became Hertha's priority when Windhorst's money ran out. A team that fought relegation every season since 2019 was progressively weakened for the next. Hertha only survived through a playoff last year. Then it got rid of more players. Relegation is the logical outcome.
And it could yet get worse. Windhorst sold his stake to American backers 777 Partners earlier this year, but Hertha's finances remain in such poor shape that its license from the German soccer league (DFL) for next season is under threat.
"If we can't prove economic viability, we won't get a license," Hertha managing director Thomas E. Herrich told members at the club's general meeting on Sunday.
777 has already committed to providing 100 million euros ($108.5 million) but Herrich said more is needed to show the DFL that the club is fully financed for next season.
"The situation is difficult and challenging," Herrich said. "We've lived beyond our means and always spent more than we earned in recent years. We have to increase revenue, but above all we have to radically reduce costs."
Herrich said Hertha, which is looking at a potential loss of 65 million euros ($70.5 million) this season, wants to reduce squad costs by 30% and "be still suitable for the Bundesliga, or, if it comes to that, the second division. That's a Herculean task."
Meanwhile, Union can look forward to a huge jump in revenue from Champions League participation – if the committed team of hard-working players can win at Hoffenheim or at home to Werder Bremen in its final two games.
"We're playing in the group stage of the Europa League at a minimum. It's a crazy success and I'm delighted," coach Urs Fischer said after Saturday's 4-2 win over chief rival Freiburg.
It was Union's record-extending 22nd league game at home without defeat and the team now has two more points than it managed in its previous best season (57) last year. The home fans sang about the Champions League as the players celebrated.
"They can keep dreaming, it's good that way," Fischer said of a potential top-four finish for Europe's premier competition. "It's within reach but we have to take the step, we have to grab it. There are still two very difficult games. And the Bundesliga is crazy in the last matches."
