Hertha BSC recently changed managers, with former Talent Management Coordinator Pál Dárdai taking over. Combine that with the arrival of Sami Khedira, and Matteo Guendouzi’s starting place is suddenly much less certain.
The midfielder, who had started and played 90 minutes in 12 consecutive league games before Dárdai accepted the job, has only started two of four since.
Guendouzi was on the bench against RB Leipzig on Sunday, and he came on with his side 1-0 with 22 minutes left.
Sadly, he didn’t make a big deal for himself. First, he slowly descended into his own box to concede possession a few minutes after coming on, Leipzig leaping to score a second.
Diving into your own box is a daring gesture, as Matteo Guendouzi has shown here.pic.twitter.com/wR7hhdGgDN
– Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) February 21, 2021
13 minutes later, Guendouzi was the player closest to a cross from Willi Orban.
What was perhaps equally worrying was that Guendouzi came as a direct replacement for Khedira. Hertha signed the German in January, and there was always a risk that the manager would see him and Guendouzi as two players fighting for a place.
We shouldn’t panic just yet. This is just a poor performance from Guendouzi, and it is very possible that Dárdai will move into a squad that includes the two midfielder rookies this season. It’s just a little worrisome for the potential success of the rest of the loan.
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