Managing director Fredi Bobic sees Hertha BSC in a good negotiating position in the dispute with investor Lars Windhorst and even makes a joke about the cause. “If you can have fun today after the game, you could say we’ll take everything back for one euro. It’s not a problem at all,” said the 50-year-old sarcastically after the Berlin Bundesliga club’s 2: 3 on Saturday evening at RB Leipzig in the ZDF “Sportstudio”. Of course, Bobic knows: “But that will certainly not happen.”

After the dispute over the spy affair against Hertha’s ex-president Werner Gegenbauer, Windhorst offered to return his 64.4 percent stake in the professional department at a purchase price of 374 million euros. “Fact is, that’s what he offered. Nevertheless, we will of course always seek communication with him and with Tennor, we have been doing that all the time in the last few weeks. And then at the end of the day you have to see what the shares are worth,” Bobic said.

The topic does not play a very important role for him, the manager claimed. “First of all we think about football. Our presidency will comment on what happens in this case in due course. That’s why we have everything checked,” said Bobic.

Hertha is said to have a right of veto if Windhorst wants to resell his shares. The club cannot realistically afford to buy back its own at the moment. Bobic do not want to comment on modalities. “It’s nice that you all want to know that. But one thing is also clear, I have never spoken about contract content. Whether this is with players or in such a case, I will not make that public here either. But the contract is already well designed,” said Bobic.

Despite the unfortunate outcome, Bobic was satisfied with the team’s performance in Leipzig: “The lads showed great morale. If you lose, then preferably like this. At half-time, no one bet a damn on us.” Hertha were already 3-0 down at the break, but got back into the game with goals from Dodi Lukebakio (62nd/penalty) and Stevan Jovetic (64th) and missed in the final phase several top-class players for equalization and a point win.