Leitl braces for tough second‑division clash in Saarbrücken

The anticipation builds for the first round of the DFB‑Pokal as Hertha BSC travel to Saarbrücken, where trainer Stefan Leitl prepares his side for a daunting Zweitligaspiel. After two opening league victories, the Berlin club faces a “brutally hard” test in the Ludwigsparkstadion.

Season start fuels confidence

Both the opening league Spiele delivered victories, giving the Berlin side a perfect Saisonstart. The Auftakt featured a 1‑0 win in Bochum and the second was a 4‑1 Heimpartie over Bundesliga‑Absteiger Heidenheim in the Hause of the Olympiastadion. The club, affectionately called the Alte Dame, celebrated two Spiele and two Siege.

Trainer Stefan Leitl can field the full squad again, as injury worries have eased. Defender Deyovaisio Zeefuik left Thursday’s training early with a thigh issue but, as Leitl confirmed, “Er wird spielen”. The DFB suspension for his red card does not affect cup eligibility, and Leitl stressed that Zeefuik remains an unfathomably important player for the team.

Cup tie poses a brutal test

The Spannung rises as the first Pokalrunde of the DFB‑Pokal pits Hertha against 1. FC Saarbrücken, a club that also began the new 3. Liga season with two wins and currently sits second in the table. Leitl called the Aufgabe “Es ist eine brutal schwere Aufgabe jetzt in Saarbrücken”, describing the encounter as a “pari‑game”, a 50‑50 Spiel decided by small details. He warned that the team making fewer mistakes will progress, noting Saarbrücken’s exciting yet imperfect squad of many young players.

Der Trainer anticipates a full stadium and the accompanying atmosphere to add pressure to both sides. Around 1,850 Hertha supporters are expected to travel to the Ludwigsparkstadion, and the guest allocation has already sold out. The Berlin club will therefore face the challenge of performing in an unfamiliar venue while the home side enjoys its own crowd.

Hertha also welcomes loan signing Farid Alfa‑Ruprecht from Bayer Leverkusen, a right winger positioned as the direct replacement for Marten Winkler. Leitl praised Alfa‑Ruprecht as a super exciting, high‑talented young player who will continue to be developed, while noting his profile differs from Winkler’s classic winger style. Additionally, Oluwaseun Adewumi may feature on the right flank for 60‑70 minutes, marking the only alteration to the successful line‑up.

The kickoff is scheduled for Saturday, and both teams know that only a win will keep Hertha’s cup journey alive after a flawless start to the season.