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Freiburg / Berlin (dpa) - Bruno Labbadia and the professionals around the heavily counted Matheus Cunha take a lot of frustration with them into the new year.
"We have to be honest with each other in the analysis," said the Hertha BSC coach after the first, largely unsatisfactory part of the Bundesliga season.
Only 13 points after 13 games are before the short winter break on the account of Hertha, which has been spiced up with a lot of money.
Instead of dreaming of Europe, it could now go against relegation again.
«I'm less annoyed with where we are now.
I'm more annoyed about where we could have been, ”said the experienced soccer coach Labbadia.
His team, which was newly formed in the summer, is still suffering from teething problems.
Too little resilience in critical situations, a lack of managers and a lack of consistency are the constant issues at the self-proclaimed Big City Club.
Hertha earned praise for courageous appearances against the top clubs Bayern and Leipzig, but no points.
Countable things like in Leverkusen and Mönchengladbach were followed by setbacks against Mainz and Freiburg.
«We had planned more and have to come to terms with it.
We'd better come back from the winter break and then finally score points, ”explained defensive player Maximilian Mittelstädt.
For a long time, Labbadia had cited the special circumstances of the Corona season and the acclimatization period for the new professionals, who undoubtedly have great potential.
“We just gave up 14 players and brought in eight.
That takes time, ”the coach always emphasized.
After the sobering 1: 4 in Freiburg, the 54-year-old moved away from his previous defensive stance for the first time.
The fact that his players appeared so defenseless had visibly put Labbadia in a mood of alarm.
He could not stand in front of his team, explained the coach.
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Labbadia even spoke of “basic requirements” that were not met in Freiburg.
In the first half, his team "didn't stick to a plan" and "just showed a face that didn't work at all."
And further clear: "One or the other thinks that he can do his thing on his own."
This was particularly aimed at Matheus Cunha, whose appearance Labbadia classified as "underground".
“He pulls himself down, doesn't perform well, pulls the team down,” complained the Hertha coach.
The young Brazilian U23 international is becoming more and more of a problem.
Cunha had already been warned several times by Labbadia, this time the ex-Leipzig had to go out for a break.
“Not showing body language is one of the things we cannot allow ourselves,” emphasized Labbadia.
"We have to work as a team, nobody can take it easy."
The problem: The immature Hertha is dependent on Cunha.
With six league goals and three preparations for goals, the 21-year-old is the club's top scorer.
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From the end of the Christmas holidays on December 28th, it will be the main task of the coach to finally shape the Hertha structure into a more stable unit.
And that regardless of whether the club is active again on the transfer market with additional millions of investors.
Because table rank 14 and only three points ahead of the relegation relegation place promise plenty of stress.
The start of the year on January 2nd in the Olympic Stadium against the defeated Schalke 04 will be a test of nerves.
Squad SC Freiburg
Schedules SC Freiburg
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Season statistics SC Freiburg
Bundesliga table