Form
Hannover find themselves in the grip of a relegation battle following a disappointing campaign so far. The Lower Saxony side are second from bottom going into Matchday 23 with 14 points from 22 games. They ended a nine-match winless run with a precious 2-0 victory at home to relegation rivals 1. FC Nürnberg on Matchday 21, before losing 3-0 at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim last time out. Thomas Doll, a former Eintracht player, became the club’s new coach in late January and has the task of keeping the 96ers in the top flight. He will be helped by winger Nicolai Müller, who is on loan at Hannover from Eintracht until the end of the season.
Tactics
As well as switching to a 4-4-2 formation, Doll is demanding more aggression, tempo and togetherness from his players. That said, the tactical set-up also depends on the personnel available given the team’s lengthy injury list. Previously forgotten players have been drafted back in, such as Edgar Prib, who missed almost the entire 2017/18 season through injury; Uffe Bech, who started the season in the reserves; and Brazilian striker Jonathas, who spent the first half of the campaign out on loan.
One to watch: Michael Esser
Matches are decided by what happens in the penalty box, so efficiency in these areas is crucial. What Hannover lack in prolific strikers, they make up for at the other end of the pitch with goalkeeper Michael Esser. The fact that the 96ers have conceded the second-most goals in the Bundesliga is down to the sheer number of chances their opponents have had, since Esser has fended off 71 per cent of efforts at his goal, keeping out 108 of the 152 shots he has faced.
