"News at Torsten"

Source: www.union-foto.de

The FC Union fans sing his name with pride and gusto, well, I'm sure the few hundred fans that they have sing his name anyway. Torsten Mattuschka is the main man across the road with Union. He is the playmaker and the crowd favourite at the club. His ten goals last season helped to ensure that Union had little to do with a relegation battle during last seasons predictable average division two campaign. On Saturday (05.02.2011, 13.00), Union make the short trip to visit Berlin Royalty at the sold out Olympic stadium to take on table-toppers Hertha in a round 21 division two clash. Torsten Mattuschka is captain of the side that hails from the Berlin neighbourhood of Köpenick. herthabsc.de spoke to the Union skipper before the historic game.

herthabsc.de: Torsten, your team had the chance to leave the relegation zone against Paderborn last time out. What were the team missing on reflection?
Mattuschka: It is always hard to say. The will was there, but we never managed to find our way into the game. Then you concede from a set piece, and get hit on the break as you go in search of an equaliser. Such things happen and it annoyed us.

What are your strengths and where do you see room for improvement?
Mattuschka: One strength is how we stick together as a team. It would of course help if we had everyone available for selection for a long period of time. That has not been the case so far this season.

Union recently suffered two straight division two losses. What has to happen in order to prevent a third at the Olympic stadium on Saturday?
Mattuschka: I won't go into detail about our plans, but we have proved this season that we are capable of matching the top teams, and we want to do so again on Saturday.

Why is the game against Hertha so special?
Mattuschka: The Olympic stadium is not sold out very often. As far as I know only when Bayern visit. Now it is the impending derby which has filled it. It is for such games that you become a player. We are very much looking forward to the red and white end of the stadium on Saturday.

Do you in Köpenick get news of Hertha matters too?
Mattuschka: Of course you follow second division matters, and that happens to be the division Hertha are playing in. Apart from that we don't bother. Hertha are on the expected path of certain promotion to the top flight.

How many Union fans will be at the derby?
Mattuschka: I believe that our official ticket contingent was 12,000. They were sold so quickly that I imagine a lot of fans bought tickets on the open market. I think we will have between 15,000 and 20,000 cheering us on.

As a player you are used to playing in front of lots of people. Is a crowd like Saturday's of over 74,000 something special?
Mattuschka: Of course, nobody here has ever experienced such a crowd. It is a huge shop window to present your club in. It doesn't get any better.

You hail from Cottbus. Which is the greater rivalry in and around Berlin?
Mattuschka: Well, Cottbus is quite a distance away from Berlin. I played mostly in their reserve team during my time there. A proper derby can only be between teams hailing from the same town. That is the greatest rivalry.

How will the game on Saturday end?
Mattuschka: Be prepared to be surprised!


So, clearly Torsten Mattuschka is quietly confident of an upset against the mighty Hertha BSC. Over here in the UK, we can see nothing but a Hurricane named Hertha destroying not only Union's frail back four, but also the hearts of many a supporter from Kopenick.


Hertha BSC UK Fan Club Prediction


Hertha BSC 4-0 FC Union Berlin

@ChrisKemp89
@HerthaBerlinUK