Is this the year Hertha Berlin make it back to the Bundesliga?
Hertha Berlin have been languishing in relative Bundesliga 2 mid-table obscurity since their relegation from the top flight three years ago, but under the stewardship of head coach Stefan Leitl, the Old Lady finally appear to be back on the right track.
With four straight wins to kickstart 2026/27, Hertha have set an early pace under Leitl, who took charge of the reins from Cristian Fiél in February 2025. The Berlin club sat 14th at the time. But with 11th and seventh-place finishes under the current boss, Hertha are on the rise once more.
Starting with the Bundesliga 2 curtain-raiser against Bochum, Leitl’s charges exacted revenge on the club that relegated them at the Olympiastadion on Matchday 33 of 2022/23.
This time out, though, the Berliners won 1-0 in Bochum courtesy of Sebastian Grönning’s dink over Timo Horn. A defensively sound performance, Hertha set an early marker in their hunt for a return to the Bundesliga.
Now, sitting two points clear of closest challengers Nuremberg after four games, Hertha are the only team to pick up maximum points in 2026/27. It’s not only a testament to Leitl’s attacking philosophy, but also the change of mentality within the team, noted by the 49-year-old after his side overturned a two-goal deficit to beat Eintracht Braunschweig 5-3 on Matchday 3.
“The team proved that they always have the will – they always want it,” he explained, a statement which was echoed by captain Josip Brekalo. “We've grown very close as a team and have made it our goal to always give our all,” added the Croatian, who has scored three goals and created a further two in four appearances.
“I hope to continue contributing with goals and assists. Things are going great for us, but we've worked hard for it and we'll keep pushing. We've grown together as a team, and everyone has perfectly fulfilled their role,” he continued.
Though critical of his team’s 2-1 victory against Magdeburg, Leitl once again lauded the team’s cohesion. “Furthermore, we need to improve our defensive set pieces; conceding so many goals from those situations is unacceptable,” he emphasised, but added: “I'm very happy with the win; we fought hard, supported each other, and showed passion and intensity. But to consistently pick up points, we need to play better football.”
Responsible for the game-winning goal against Magdeburg, Oluwaseun Adewumi has hit the ground running since joining on loan from Burnley, returning three goals in four games.
“I've got real momentum and I definitely want to build on it,” said the 21-year-old. “The whole team is doing a fantastic job. The dynamism and intensity make us strong as a team; everyone is giving 100 percent. It's really fun.”
In addition to Adewumi and Bayer Leverkusen loanee Farid Alfa-Ruprecht, Hertha have added considerable experience to their ranks, which puts the capital club in a very healthy position indeed. Mads Pedersen, with 115 Bundesliga games to his name for Augsburg, joined the Berliners alongside Gustaf Nilsson, who represented Sweden at the FIFA World Cup 2026 in North America.
“I believe I can help with the experience I've gained on the big stages,” said Nilsson, who boasts UEFA Champions League experience having joined on loan from Club Brugge. “I simply want to work hard and support the team as best I can by being present in the box and trying to score goals.”
After two years of uncertainty under Pál Dárdai and Fiél, Hertha have newfound consistency under Leitl, who has previous promotion experience having guided Greuther Fürth to the Bundesliga in 2021. Fans will be hoping he can replicate his earlier triumphs as they bid for a Bundesliga return after a four-year absence.
And, playing high-octane football with an ability to switch to a pragmatic approach when needed, Hertha’s new-look squad certainly boasts the right attributes. Bundesliga 2 is still steeped with huge clubs such as Nuremberg, Hannover, Wolfsburg and Kaiserslautern, but Leitl could well be the man to pip them and guide the Old Lady back to the big time.
