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Hertha BSC abandons promotion bid, shifts focus to sixth-place finish

From title contenders to mid-table finishers—Hertha BSC's season took a dramatic turn. Now, the club tests its future stars in a fight for pride.

,   and  ASMedia
1 min read
The image shows a group of men standing next to each other on a soccer field. They are wearing...
The image shows a group of men standing next to each other on a soccer field. They are wearing green t-shirts and some are in a squat position. There is a ball on the ground in front of them. On the right side of the image, there is a goal post. In the background, there are trees, buildings, poles, vehicles, and the sky. At the bottom left corner of the picture, it is written that reads "Bundesliga 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-20-21-22-23-24-25-26-27-28-29-30-31-32-33-34-35-36-37-38-39-40-41-42-43-44-45-46-47-48-50-51-52-53-54-55-56-57-58-59-60-61-62-63-64-65-66-67-68-69-70-71-72.

Hertha's Season Not Over Yet: A Showcase for Sixth Place - Hertha BSC abandons promotion bid, shifts focus to sixth-place finish

Hertha BSC's push for Bundesliga promotion has ended after a string of inconsistent results. The team now sits outside the top 10 in the 2. Bundesliga, with only ten matches left in the season. Coach Stefan Leitl has set a new target: a sixth-place finish by May.

The team's struggles began with a 2-3 home loss to Hannover 96 on February 14, 2026. A heavier blow followed on February 22, when they suffered a 5-2 away defeat to SC Paderborn. Though Hertha recovered with a narrow 2-1 win over 1. FC Nürnberg on March 1, the damage was done.

Leitl now views the final ten games as a trial run for next season. He wants to assess which players can meet the club's objectives. One key absence will be midfielder Pascal Klemens, the 21-year-old omitted from the squad for the remaining fixtures.

Klemens' contract is expiring, and his future remains uncertain. Leitl and sporting director Benni Weber have held talks with him, demanding clear commitment to the club. So far, no decision has been made on the extension offer.

Despite the setbacks, Leitl is pushing the team to refocus. He expects maximum effort in every match, even with promotion no longer in reach.

Hertha BSC will finish the season without Klemens in the lineup. The focus now shifts to securing sixth place and preparing for next year. Leitl's next moves will depend on how the squad performs in the final stretch of games.

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