Bundesliga - "Be persistent": Hoffenheim starts the soccer year
Coach Pellegrino Matarazzo has called on his professionals to improve their defensive performance at the start of training for TSG 1899 Hoffenheim. "The biggest leverage we have is in our defensive play - when you see how many goals we concede," said the 46-year-old on Tuesday in Zuzenhausen. The Kraichgauers face FC Bayern Munich in their first Bundesliga game of the new year on January 12 and have already conceded 30 goals in their 16 games so far.
Goalkeeper Oliver Baumann also called for "consistency, in the sense that we concede fewer goals. The points average is good." If the team continues like this, "then it will be a decent season".
Hoffenheim occupy seventh place in the table and have often shone away from home, but have only won two of eight home games in Sinsheim and went into the winter break with a disappointing 3-3 draw against bottom club SV Darmstadt 98. TSG have also won just one of their last eight games (3-1 against VfL Bochum).
"We played a very decent first half of the season," said Pirmin Schwegler, head of licensed soccer. "We want to keep at it, we want to be persistent." However, "we shouldn't rest on our laurels". Wout Weghorst and Anton Stach were missing from the first training session due to colds, as were the permanently injured Dennis Geiger and Diadie Samassékou (Africa Cup).
U17 world champion Max Moerstedt, who is preparing with the professionals, was also present. He was greeted with applause from his colleagues at lunch. "He is full of confidence and brings so much to the table," said Matarazzo. On Saturday, his team will play a test match at FC Augsburg. The club will not be attending a training camp abroad.
Bundesliga fixture list Bundesliga table Squad TSG 1899 Hoffenheim TSG Hoffenheim on Twitter
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Source: www.stern.de
