Preview: Hertha Berlin vs. RB Leipzig - prediction, team news, lineups

Hertha Berlin take on RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga on Sunday, with the visitors looking to maintain pressure on Bayern Munich at the top of the table.

Hertha, meanwhile, sit outside of the relegation zone on goal difference only, so are desperate for a victory.

Match preview

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Having lost four matches in a row, Hertha started their trip to Stuttgart in understandably cagey fashion, with Sasa Kalajdzic punishing them moments before the half-time interval after marginally staying onside from Borna Sosa's free-kick to head home the opener.

However, Pal Dardai has helped his side remain more competitive in matches since taking over last month, with Matheus Cunha desperately unfortunate not to equalise when seeing his delicately dinked finish miraculously cleared off the line by the back-peddling Waldemar Anton.

Ultimately, it was 17-year-old Luca Netz who salvaged a point for the Bundesliga strugglers, latching onto Sami Khedira's pass to coolly slot past Gregor Kobel with only eight minutes of normal time remaining.

That point proved priceless as Arminia Bielefeld's surprising draw at Bayern Munich on Monday night means the two sides are now level on 18 points, so the pressure is well and truly on Dardai to navigate his side away from danger in the coming weeks.

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While Arminia's result in Munich did Hertha little favours, Julian Nagelsmann would have taken great pleasure from it as it ensures Bayern are now only five points ahead of his side having played the same amount of games.

Hansi Flick's side have a daunting trip to Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday, too, so Leipzig may have a chance to peg that gap back even further ahead of their trip to Berlin on Sunday.

Nagelsmann's side were simply too good for Augsburg during their 2-1 win over Heiko Herrlich's outfit last Friday, with goals from Dani Olmo and Christopher Nkunku capping a rampant first half before the foot came off the accelerator, allowing Daniel Caligiuri to set up a nervy finish.

However, Leipzig suffered great disappointment with a 2-0 defeat to Liverpool in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 knockout tie on Tuesday night, leaving them with plenty of work to do to overturn that deficit at Anfield next month. For now, the focus must shift back to hunting the Bavarians down at the top of the Bundesliga.

Hertha Berlin Bundesliga form: DLLLLD

RB Leipzig Bundesliga form: DWLWWW
RB Leipzig form (all competitions): LWWWWL

Team News

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Hertha appear to be without Jhon Cordoba, Dedryck Boyata, Javairo Dilrosun, Marvin Plattenhardt, Jordan Torunarigha and Nemanja Radonjic due to injury for the visit of Leipzig.

Khedira will be hoping his positive impact at his former club last weekend will earn him a start in midfield, with his experience potentially pivotal as Dardai's side look to avoid relegation.

Leipzig, meanwhile, will travel to Berlin without Dominik Szoboszlai, Emil Forsberg and Konrad Laimer due to injury.

Nagelsmann will likely make changes from the midweek defeat to Liverpool, with Yussuf Poulsen, Willi Orban and Ibrahima Konate potentially coming back into the starting XI.

Hertha Berlin possible starting lineup:
Jarstein; Pekarik, Stark, Alderete, Mittelstadt; Tousart, Khedira, Guendouzi; Lukebakio, Piatek, Cunha

RB Leipzig possible starting lineup:
Gulacsi; Konate, Upamecano, Halstenberg; Adams, Kampl, Sabitzer, Angelino; Olmo, Nkunku; Poulsen

We say: Hertha Berlin 1-2 RB Leipzig

We can envisage a narrow victory for Leipzig on Sunday, with Hertha likely to make things difficult for Nagelsmann's side.

However, if they can nullify the threat of Cunha, the visitors should have enough to sneak a crucial win as they look to maintain the pressure on Bayern.