Arminia Bielefeld striker Artur Wichniarek has launched a stinging attack on Hertha Berlin general manager Dieter Hoeness ahead of his return to the German capital on Saturday.

The Poland international bagged just four goals during a 30-month stint with Hertha between 2003 and 2006 before being transferred back to Bielefeld.

Wichniarek has hit the goal trail since leaving Hertha, with 18 goals in 18 months since his return to Bielefeld, but the forward has nevertheless hit out at Hoeness on the eve of this weekend's encounter.

"He has cost me my career," Wichniarek said of Hoeness in Sportbild.

"At 26 I was at the best age when I came to Berlin but Hoeness put a 30-year-old (Fredi Bobic) right in front of my nose.

"There is no excuse for the club to invest in older players all of a sudden. Even today I don't understand it. Thank you, Dieter."

He added: "The manager is Hertha Berlin's biggest problem."

Hertha captain Arne Friedrich leapt to the defence of Hoeness, saying: "There is no excuse for that. You can't say things like that about your former employer.

"It's not the fault of others that he did not perform."

Friedrich team-mate Pal Dardai added: "He has put himself under tremendous pressure now."

Wichniarek's comments are sure to stoke the coals ahead of a match between two sides at the wrong end of the Bundesliga standings.

Twelfth-placed Hertha head into the match as favourites after their 3-1 victory at Stuttgart last weekend, while Bielefeld's new boss, Michael Frontzeck, has lost all three of his matches in charge.

The visitors have conceded no less than 30 goals on the road this season and sit just one place and two points above the relegation zone.

Bielefeld will be without suspended duo Rudiger Kauf and Jorg Bohme, with Tobias Rau and Oliver Kirch set to take their places.

Hertha will be missing Lucio, who is still recovering from a knee surgery.