Felix Magath made his digital debut as coach of Hertha BSC with great success.
With instructions from the new head coach from the hotel, who was suffering from Corona, and an enormously committed deputy Mark Fotheringham on the sidelines, the recently despondent and desperate Berliners showed a courageous performance on Saturday that had not been thought possible for so long.
The reward: The 3-0 (1-0) against Champions League candidate TSG 1899 Hoffenheim as the highest win of the season and a lot of new hope in the relegation battle of the Bundesliga.
Niklas Stark (39th minute), Ishak Belfodil (63rd) and Lucas Tousart (74th) scored in front of 25,000 spectators for the first victory of Hertha, which was defeated five times in a row, this year.
Magath wasn't the first hot topic in the Olympic Stadium.
But Corona again.
Both teams had to rebuild after positive tests.
At Hoffenheim, a trio of Florian Grillitsch, Pavel Kaderabek and Ihlas Bebou were unable to travel to Berlin at short notice.
A heavy mortgage, it turned out.
At Hertha, veteran Vladimir Darida had to pass.
The Berliners were already making intensive changes.
More defensive and more routine was Magath's instruction from isolation.
The symbol was ex-national player Stark as a kind of libero between the defensive line and Lucas Tousart and Santiago Ascacibar as double six.
Fotheringham, who conducted wildly on the sidelines, also embodied the hoped-for new vigour.
When digital orders came from the boss, goalkeeper trainer Andreas Menger acted as a messenger to the Scotsman.
And the instructions paid off.
Hertha played concentrated and compact.
The fans took note with joy.
There was a team to see that wanted.
Marco Richter (8th/28th) and Belfoldil (18th) scored promising shots.
Hoffenheim seemed surprised and had to find themselves.
After a dream pass from Kevin Akpoguma, Jacob Bruun Larsen (25th) was completely free, but spooned the ball over the goal.
Even without conceding a goal, chronic insecurity crept in at Hertha for a few minutes after moments of shock.
Hoffenheim could not capitalize on it.
On the contrary: Hertha pulled themselves together and rewarded themselves with Stark's powerful header for a deserved lead.
Fredi Bobic, who had declared the game the first of eight finals, sipped contentedly at his break drink.
The Hertha managing director could also be satisfied with the continuation of the game.
Even if only little was offered offensively at first, the recently criticized components of commitment and ability to concentrate were right.
Hoffenheim was given the ball in the safe zone.
The Kraichgauers had very little success.
Fotheringham continued to wave on the touchline.
make rooms cramped.
Stay compact - and then strike ice cold.
Belfodil completed a set piece again initiated by Marvin Plattenhardt for the second goal.
Tousart even followed up.
The Hertha fans sang: "Oh, how beautiful that is."