Exicitement is mounting in Berlin. Hertha have taken four wins and 13 points from their last six Bundesliga games to go fifth in the tables.
On matchday 12, Berlin surprised everyone by taming newly-promoted, high-scoring league leaders Hoffenheim. Ukrainian Andrey Voronin who scored the only goal that day, arrived from Liverpool in the summer and is obviously enjoying life in Berlin.
bundesliga.de spoke to Voronin before Saturday's home game against HSV.
bundesliga.de: Andrey Voronin. Congratulations on the goal against Hoffenheim. How important were those three points against the league leaders for Hertha's self-confidence?
Andrey Voronin: Any victory is important for a team's self-confidence. But beating a team that everyone's talking about is a bit special. We held together really well and deserved the win.
bundesliga.de: You seem to like scoring important goals. You scored the winner against Leverkusen. Were you particularly focused before that goal?
Voronin: I'm glad when my goals help the team to victory. I missed some good chances but you just have to keep trying. I don't know if I was specially focused before that goal. My job as striker is to score lots of goals, and I try to do that in every game.
bundesliga.de: You're currently only on loan to Berlin from Liverpool. Do you see yourself staying longer term?
Voronin: I could easily imagine that. Berlin is a great city and Hertha BSC are a very professionally managed club who set out to achieve its aims. I would be ready to talk about that.
bundesliga.de: How did you cope with the playing style in England. Does the Bundesliga suit you better?
Voronin: The way they play in England suited me. No pause for breath and very fast. But I've shown I can make my way in the Bundesliga too.
bundesliga.de: You've played in the Bundesliga before with lots of different players. Is there anyone at Hertha that's specially impressed you?
Voronin: I've been amazed at the performance of our central defence in recent game - Arne Friedrich and Josip Simunic. Some of that's been very impressive. And then I should mention our keeper Jaroslav Drobny who won the game for us in Leverkusen.
bundesliga.de: Except against Bayern and Bremen, Hertha's defence has been really secure. What went wrong in those games and went right in the other matches?
Voronin: There are games where from the start nothing goes right. Those two games, for example. Most of our success is down to our strong defence. When we play together as a team, then we're hard to beat.
bundesliga.de: Hamburg have already conceded 14 away goals. Do you see HSV as easy meat for you?
Voronin: Saturday will show. HSV have invested a lot in their team and they have a very good squad. At some point, they'll end their bad away run. But not if it's up to us.
bundesliga.de: There hasn't been one away win in the last 14 matches between Hamburg and Berlin. What does Berlin have to do to maintain that record?
Voronin: Play like we played in the last seven home games. But joking aside, we have to focus and base our game on compact defence. HSV won't pack their goal, so I think their game might suit us.
bundesliga.de: A last question. Not many people saw Hertha vying for the top. How far could the team go this season?
Voronin: That's hard to say. We want to get into international competition, but so do a lot of teams. It's still close at the top of the table. We need to make sure we're still in the top third of the table at Christmas. If we are, then we could qualify for the UEFA cup.
Interviewer: Sebastian Stolz
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