Schalke were down. They were down in October and at the turn of the year. They looked down again when Bremen took the lead against them a week ago. And, with trips to Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig around the corner, they looked down again as the 100th minute passed in Mainz with the scores level on Friday night.
The latest goal in Bundesliga history saw them rise from the bottom three for the first time since October.
Hertha look down but they have given themselves a lifeline, at least in terms of this season.
After eight games without a win (a run that included six defeats and just two draws), the club from the German capital finally got back to winning ways as they welcomed fellow strugglers VfB Stuttgart to the Olympiastadion on Saturday. The enormous stadium in the west of Berlin is always imposing but usually cold and often half-empty. On Saturday, though, it was pretty warm, pretty full, and pretty loud.
Over 63,000 were present at the 75,000-capacity ground and they all knew defeat would have good as condemned Hertha to relegation, leaving them five points from safety with three games left to play. But they won and with their remaining home game against 17th-placed Bochum, the other team currently heading down, they’ve got a shot at staying in Germany’s top flight.
But Saturday’s result was followed by news even worse than a potential relegation. The feeling of relief and belief that came with win against Stuttgart, and the hope of potential of following up on it with further points, has given way to serious fear that the west of Berlin may no longer house a professional football club come next summer.
The finances, and financing, of Hertha has long been a source of concern and frustration. Unable to exert the influence he had once hoped, former investor Lars Windhorst left the club earlier this year having sold his shares to a group called 777 Partners.
“The private investment firm with headquarters in Miami has quickly built up a global, multi-club network which includes several long-standing football clubs such as Italy’s Genoa, Brazil’s Vasco da Gama, Belgium’s Standard Liège, France’s Red Star FC, Spain’s Sevilla FC and Australia’s Melbourne Victory FC,” the official club statement read.
But it doesn’t seem a corner has been turned. Hertha are now reportedly fighting to obtain a DFL-licence for next season. Without one, they would be pushed down a division, and with relegation likely around the corner that would mean falling to the third tier.
Early this week, Süddeutsche Zeitung claimed an anonymous DFL source had told them Hertha’s case, currently under review, is “highly critical” and the “worst (the DFL) has ever had” as a June deadline looms.
The club hardly inspired confidence when asked to comment by Sky.
"We are in regular contact with the DFL with regard to both the ongoing licensing process and the content of the partnership concluded with our investor 777 Partners.
"Both issues need to be discussed and clarified in compliance with all legal requirements - in particular the 50+1 rule - and content-related requirements. However, we will not comment further on these ongoing processes or on speculation in the media at this time.”
Hertha will be due to repay a €40m loan by November and the club’s liquidity and cash reserves are one of the DFL’s concerns as they assess how likely that repayment actually is. Beyond the financial issues, there are also concerns over 777’s involvement in the club and the influence they could wield clashing with the Bundesliga’s enshrined 50+1 rule, which helps fans retain control within clubs, preventing investors from being able to unilaterally make decisions.
During their time at the club, Windhorst’s company, Tenor, held the right to make calls on decisions where sums of over €20m were involved. If 777 made demands for more influence when they struck the deal that saw them buy the almost two-thirds stake in the club Tenor has previously held, the entire club could be in big trouble. If 777 don’t already have that level of say within the club, you have to fear they will want more if they provide a cash injection (or a further loan) to make up the €40m hole in the accounts. After all, Hertha’s players are not likely to attract too the sort of interest that will plump the coffers this summer.
It may be an unusual home venue but the Olympiastadion — grey, historic, overbearing — is still a special place to watch football. If reality strikes, it could be hosting third tier football next season. Germany’s grandest and most historical stage will be emptier, colder, quieter than ever.