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Berlin (dpa) - Sami Khedira came despite the freezing cold in a short-sleeved jersey - and was right at operating temperature.

“When I'm on the pitch, I give one hundred percent,” said the 33-year-old 2014 world champion after his ten-minute debut at Hertha BSC.

3926 after his last appearance in the Bundesliga until Friday evening, Khedira showed: He wants to stand up for the team, he wants to lead the team.

The new Berlin superstar does not want to make demands.

“It's not a one-man show, it's the team.

I fit in one hundred percent, ”confirmed Khedira, who moved to Real Madrid from VfB Stuttgart in the summer of 2010.

Via Juventus Turin he landed at Hertha as the hope of the rescue mission this season.

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The lack of match practice with only one appearance for the Italian record champions in the whole of last year spoke against the comeback from the start in the 0: 1 against FC Bayern.

"Of course he only came in briefly, I was hoping he might score a header on a free kick," said coach Pal Dardai on Saturday in a digital media round.

He had played simple passes - “it belongs in the center,” the Hungarian praised.

Even before his brief appearance, there had been a lot of talk about Khedira's leadership qualities.

Captain Niklas Stark also told the newcomer to call in, Dardai said.

Khedira did not do that after he, like the second newcomer Nemanja Radonjic, was initially wrapped in blankets as a substitute in the Olympic Stadium.

“I know that I need training sessions, that I need playing time and that I don't come here and play 90 minutes straight away.

When the time comes, the trainer decides.

We are in very, very good exchange, ”said Khedira afterwards.

Hardly in the game after being substituted on in the 81st minute, he had taken command on the pitch.

In an action shortly before the end of the game in which he was not involved, Khedira also went ahead with the referee.

A bit too much for his taste: Khedira saw the yellow card.

"Nothing is played," he emphasized afterwards.

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Khedira could not avert the defeat of a strong Berlin team against Munich.

Just like the former substitute from Radonjic not.

Both give Dardai and the Berliners a lot of courage in the difficult fight against relegation.

Meanwhile, five defeats in the last six games put the new coach, who has only been back in office two games, and all players under a lot of pressure.

"We are not in the best situation in terms of points," said Khedira, but at the same time gave courage: "If we work like this, play like this, we will definitely score points in the next few weeks."

© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210205-99-323139 / 3

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