Hertha Berlin forward Salomon Kalou. (Photo : Getty Images)
Third-running team Hertha Berlin SC (14-8-6, 48 points) will look to bounce back from their humiliating game in the previous matchday of the 2015-2016 Bundesliga season as they face cellar-dwellers Hannover 96 (5-21-2, 17 points) at the Olympic Stadium on Friday, April 8th.
Hertha was destroyed by fourth-placed squad Borussia Monchengladbach, 5-0, at the Stadion im Borussia-Park on Sunday to cut their lead in the overall standings to only three points to date, as per SkySports.
Belgian midfielder Thorgan Hazard led the Borussians with a brace at the 14th and 80th minutes while midfielders Andre Hahn, Patrick Herrmann, and Ibrahima Traoré each scored a goal at the 60th, 76th, and 85th minutes respectively on the way to the five-goal haul of the hosts.
Head coach Pál Dárdai's squad were unable to respond even with a single goal in the contest resident strikers Salomon Kalou and Sami Allagui were well-defended throughout the match.
The loss decreased Die Alte Dame's lead over Monchengladbach to only three points as Hertha currently defends the third and final Champions League group stage berth for next season's continental competitions.
The fourth place finisher of this season's Bundesliga will also qualify in the Champions League but will start in the playoff round of the said tournament.
Meanwhile, Hannover 96 continues to be in the very bottom of the league table as they went through their fifth consecutive loss in their most recent match against Hamburg, 0-3, last Saturday at the HDI Arena, as reported by ESPN.
Hamburg pulled off three goals in the second half of play, courtesy of Brazilian defender Cleber, Croatian midfielder Ivo Ilicevic, and German midfielder Nicolai Müller at the 61st, 73rd, and 75th minutes respectively, following a goalless first half with Die Roten.
Manager Daniel Stendel's side looks to be on its way to being relegated to 2. Bundesliga next season as they are still 10 points behind 17th-placed squad Eintracht Frankfurt with only six matchdays left in the current season.
The predicted result is a 2-0 bounce back win for Hertha Berlin.
Hertha Berlin starting lineup (3-4-1-2 formation): Jarstein; Weiser, Stark, Lustenberger, Plattenhardt; Skjelbred, Cigerci; Haraguchi, Darida, Kalou; Ibisevic
Hannover 96 starting lineup (4-1-2-1-2 formation): Zieler; Sakai, Milosevic, Schulz, Sorg; Gulselam; Fossum, Prib; Kiyotake; Szalai, Almeida
